ENGLAND PROP MARLER WINS APPEAL TO BE AVAILABLE FOR WALLABY CLASH

HARLEQUINS prop Joe Marler is now available for selection against Australia after his club successfully appealed the decision of a European disciplinary panel to, in effect, apply an extra seven days to the three-week ban imposed for striking a Wasps’ player.

It had been deemed that Marler’s suspension would last until November 19, ruling the prop out of England’s games against Argentina as well as Australia. This revision means that Marler’s ban ends on November 12, freeing him in theory for the match against the Wallabies.

Eddie Jones, however, has no plans to add Marler (right) to the 34-man group named on Thursday for next week’s training camp in Portugal. The focus of that camp is the opening game against Argentina. The

England head coach, though, does have the ability to bring players in at any stage during the autumn series.

Marler has been in good form for his club and Jones is mindful that Saracens loosehead Mako Vunipola did a full shift for the Lions in New Zealand and would probably not play in every game through this series. Leicester’s Ellis Genge is also highly regarded after an impressive start to the season. Wasps’ Matt Mullan is also in the squad. The committee acts independently from European Professional Club Rugby. However, there is an urgent need for a tightening and clarification of protocols. The committee initially took into account Marler’s ‘likely playing commitments’ to settle on a returnto-play date of November 19. In all probability, the prop would have been away with England next week following Saturday’s Premiership game and so would have not been available for Quins’ Anglo-Welsh game against Saracens. Therefore the committee decreed that the three-week ban should effectively be extended to a four-week period, covering England’s Tests against Argentina on November 11 and Australia seven days later.

Under regulations each week of a ban should amount to one game yet no such calculation had been applied to the case of Wasps No 8 Nathan Hughes, who picked up a two-week suspension for striking Harlequins fly-half Marcus Smith. Hughes’ return-to-play day is as per a fortnight on the calendar and he is available to play from Monday, November 6.

The discrepancies between the Marler and Hughes cases were stark.