I’d try to get banned so I couldn’t play for England
JOE MARLER has made the astonishing admission that he would set out to get himself banned in order to miss England matches — amid anxiety about the prospect of time apart from his family.
Last week, the 28-year-old Harlequins prop, who toured with the Lions to New Zealand last summer, announced he was retiring from Test rugby with immediate effect.
Having withdrawn from England’s training camp, he revealed his shock decision just a year before the World Cup kicks off.
Explaining the rationale, Marler spoke about his desire to ‘spend more time with my family’ and added: ‘It’s an incredible commitment to play rugby for England and I believe that if you are unable to give yourself fully to it then it is time to step away.’
Now it has emerged that he sought to avoid spells in camp with Eddie Jones’ England squad by landing himself in trouble. The loosehead has confessed he used disciplinary lapses as a means of escape due to the dread of being apart from his wife Daisy and two children, Jasper and Maggie.
Speaking to the Rugby pod, Marler said: ‘The anxiety I would get about having to leave and go away again would manifest itself in giving away more dull penalties and looking for outs — looking for a yellow card, looking for a red card. Because if I could pick up a ban, that’s an easy way out without actually pulling the trigger.’
By ‘pulling the trigger’, it appears he meant retiring from international rugby.
But Marler eventually came to realise that he would have to pull the trigger because he could not carry on seeking trouble in order to manage the demands on his time.
He was suspended last October after striking Wasps lock Will Rowlands during a Champions Cup match in Coventry and the sanction meant he missed England’s opening autumn Test.
Earlier this year, Marler picked up a six-week ban for a dangerous ruck clear-out — resulting in missing the opening two rounds of the Six Nations.
When history repeated itself, he knew he had to act. He was shown a yellow card during Harlequins’ match against Bristol ten days ago and recognised the signs.
‘I played like an absolute ****** which often happened around England time,’ said Marler in reference to the Premiership clash at Ashton Gate. ‘That mindset manifested itself. After that game, I said: “I can’t keep doing this. It’s not fair on my family, it’s not fair on the club”.’
He duly informed Jones that, after making 59 Test appearances since his debut against the Springboks in Durban in 2012, his international career was at an end.
It had come full circle, with a final appearance against the Boks in South Africa in the victory in Cape Town last June.
There have been no regrets or second thoughts since he made his mind up.
‘It hasn’t felt that hard,’ said Marler. ‘It hasn’t felt like a big decision because I’ve been thinking about it for some time. I really enjoyed my time with England but as soon as I had kids it completely flipped my perspective.’