Marler: No infighting for new-look England

JOE MARLER says England no longer struggle with ‘in-house bitching’ as they prepare to get their Six Nations campaign back on track in Italy. According to the veteran prop, who made his England debut in 2012, the current crop of players is the least likely to suffer from splits in camp that he has known. Marler admitted there was a feeling of ‘self-pity’ after Saturday’s defeat by Scotland but claims the squad is united. ‘With the new generation of player coming through, the old hierarchical system that may have worked previously just doesn’t work that much now,’ said Marler. ‘It is more about open and honest communication, rather than the old-school “here’s a stick”. This group is probably the tightest group I’ve been a part of. The way we have responded to it has been much less in-house bitching than there may have been in the past.’ England suffered a late collapse at Murrayfield, where botched substitutions resulted in Marler throwing his first international lineout since 2012. He failed to throw the ball five metres, and Scotland subsequently kicked a penalty to win the game. ‘I walked through my front door and Jasper, my eldest son, is like, “Good throw, Daddy!”’ said Marler. ‘I just didn’t throw it at the right time. I should have thrown it earlier at Alex Dombrandt. But hindsight is a wonderful thing.’ Italy have lost 33 consecutive Six Nations games but Marler admits the expectation to run up a big score adds pressure, saying: ‘From personal experience, you’re damned if you do, damned if you don’t. Particularly from fans and writers that go, “If you put 50 points on Italy you’re expected to and if you only win by five points, you should have put 50 on them”.’ Meanwhile, lock Courtney Lawes was last night ruled out of the trip to Rome as he recovers from a head injury. With flanker Lewis Ludlam also sidelined, rookie Ollie Chessum stays in the squad.

FORMER England winger Chris Ashton, 34, has joined Premiership leaders Leicester on a short-term deal, two months after leaving Worcester by mutual consent.