Hated, adored, never ignored. When England prop Joe Marler announced his retirement from international rugby in November 2024, to say he did so having divided opinion in his colourful career would simply be a ludicrous understatement.
Marler, 34, won 95 caps and was part of the England side that reached the 2019 World Cup final. He also toured New Zealand with the Lions in 2017.
But for all his prowess on the field, controversy off it was never far away. Express Sport rounds up the media storms that ensured the Harlequins stalwart was rarely out of the headlines….
Banned and fined for ‘Gypsy’ insult
Wales prop Samson Lee got more than he bargained for when he packed down to scrummage against Marler in the 2016 Six Nations. Aware of his opposite number’s traveller background, Marler brazenly called him a ‘Gypsy boy’ at one set-piece, at a volume that was anything but discreet.
His behaviour caused uproar in the travelling community, although Marler initially escaped any sanctions from Six Nations organisers. However, World Rugby then conducted their own investigation and issued a two-match ban and £20,000 fine.
It wasn’t to be the last time that Marler’s mouth gave him an impromptu holiday. In January 2023, he was dealt a six-week ban by the RFU, with four suspended, for making an offensive comment about Bristol flanker Jake Heenan’s mother. He later apologised.
A genital grab
As well as being a wind-up merchant, Marler was also capable of letting his hands do the talking. Quite literally in fact, when in another meeting with Wales in 2020, he openly grabbed Alun Wyn-Jones by the nether regions while smiling heartily.
The comical image went viral but in Marler’s case, so did the condemnation. Another disciplinary hearing followed, and it resulted in a 10-week holiday for the front-row forward.
Hammering the haka
He was never going to go quietly, was he? Upsetting Welsh fans is one thing, dismissing Maori culture and dismissing the history and tradition associated with the All Blacks is quite another.
Sure enough, Marler spent much of his final days before confirming his retirement at the centre of a media storm after savaging New Zealand’s pre-match haka. He said on social media the war dance ‘needs binning’, with the saga intensifying the build-up to England’s clash with the Kiwis at Twickenham.
After lighting the torch paper, Marler then nonchalantly brushed off his jibe by admitting he was trying to stir the pot. “Just having a bit of fun trying to spark interest in a mega rugby fixture,” he posted.
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Author : rugby-247
Publish date : 2025-02-15 06:58:11
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