By Georgia! Scrum test sets Marler up for Scots

JOE MARLER is relishing a return to the England team against Scotland, having had Georgia on his mind — and in his face — all week. The 27-year-old prop missed the wins against Italy and Wales after he was banned for six weeks for smashing a Sale player in the head on club duty for Harlequins in January. But he is available for the trip to Murrayfield on Saturday week, having been ‘flogged’ by coach Eddie Jones alongside the other banned forward James Haskell. And the punishment was ramped up this week as the most feared pack in the world — the Georgians — rolled into London for scrum sessions. ‘It is awful because there is no being managed in order to peak for Saturday,’ said Marler (above). ‘There was no Saturday and for me and Hask the last few weeks, we have been up at the crack of dawn and rooming together — that’s an experience in itself with Hask — we have just been flogged. ‘Rightly so, it is a little bit of a punishment I guess but also you haven’t got a game to save yourself for. ‘Georgia were very good. We had a good hit-out session against them. Tough blokes. ‘They are naturally strong. I know one of their strength and conditioning guys from Quins and I was chatting to him and asked if they are just gym-strong or is it this farm, old-man strength. He said both. It definitely felt like that.’ Marler revealed Eddie Jones had given him a stern warning about his behaviour on the field, having been suspended for nine weeks out of the last 16, and the Harlequins prop appreciated the Australian’s no-nonsense approach. And he said watching the Wales win on TV made him determined not to repeat his misdemeanours.