WALES V ENGLAND – YOUR VERDICT
■ Read the results of our fans’ survey ■ The six changes Wales should make for Scotland ■ Alun Wyn calls for action against Marler
WALES skipper Alun Wyn Jones wants action after Joe Marler got away scot-free with grabbing his genitals during the 33-30 defeat to England at Twickenham.
The incident, which proved to be one of the major talking points from a controversial encounter, came after tempers flared between the two teams and went unnoticed by match officials on the pitch.
But Jones was less than impressed by the shocking incident during the opening half and believes Marler should be punished retrospectively.
World Rugby’s punishment for an offence it describes as “testicle grabbing or twisting or squeezing” ranges from a suspension of 12 to 24 weeks or more, and given Marler’s chequered history he could be facing a lengthy ban.
“There’s a lot of footage that has been shown. It seems like a lot of supporters saw what happened,” the Wales skipper said.
“It’s very frustrating that we talk a lot about TMOs and footage reviews, yet there doesn’t seem to be a lot of it happening.”
World Rugby have yet to comment on the incident.
England’s win gave them the Triple Crown, but Marler’s behaviour was not the only big controversy.
In the closing minutes of the game, with Wales pressing for a try, England centre Manu Tuilagi was sent off for a shoulder-led tackle on George North.
Meanwhile coach Wayne Pivac has been left counting his walking wounded after Wales’ defeat.
Jake Ball faces surgery and up to three months on the sidelines after damaging his shoulder, while prop Dillon Lewis suffered an ankle injury that makes him a doubt for the Six Nations finale against Scotland at the Principality Stadium this weekend. Head coach Pivac will also be monitoring the fitness of full-back Leigh Halfpenny, who suffered a badly cut leg in the 33-30 defeat to Eddie Jones’ side.
The New Zealander said: “Jake Ball has injured an AC joint. That looks like it will require surgery and will be about a 12-weeker.
“There are a few boys knocked up. I think Leigh did very well to come out for the second half.
“He’s got a massive gash on his knee, which has been stitched up.
“The positive thing was that we kept going.
“We built pressure in the right areas of the field in the last quarter of the game.”