Marler out of Six Nations matches with lengthy ban
England prop Joe Marler will miss the Six Nations matches against Italy and Wales after receiving a six-week suspension last night for striking with the shoulder.
Marler was shown a straight red card by referee Matt Carley for his illegal clearout of flanker TJ Ioane during Harlequins’ 30-29 defeat by Sale Sharks. The 27-year-old, who pleaded guilty to the charge, will be available to play again on Feb 20, which could allow him to return to the England fold for the match away to Scotland on Feb 24.
With fellow looseheads Ellis Genge and Matt Mullan out injured, Beno Obano, who was part of the recent England training camp in Brighton, would be in line to make his debut as deputy to Saracens’ Marko Vunipola. The 23-year-old has enjoyed a breakout season despite telling The Daily Telegraph last week that “I still don’t think I’m that close to playing for England”.
For Marler, it is yet another mark against him. In 2016, he received a pair of two-week bans for calling Wales prop Samson Lee a “gipsy boy” in the Six Nations and then kicking Grenoble hooker Arnaud Heguy in the head during Harlequins’ Challenge Cup semi-final. Marler pulled out of the tour to Australia to “recharge his batteries”.
Earlier this season, Marler received a three-week ban for striking Wasps’ Will Rowlands with an arm during a Champions Cup match, which caused him to miss England’s opening autumn international match against Argentina.
Eddie Jones, the England head coach, had no qualms in bringing Marler back for the matches against Australia and Samoa. Whether Jones is as lenient again remains to be seen. Perhaps the greatest frustration was that this latest suspension was a result of petty retaliation after Ioane had struck Marler five minutes earlier, an act for which he has also been cited.
Philip Evans, the chairman of the panel, said: “The panel found that contact was made with the head of TJ Ioane. The mandatory entry point is mid-range. The panel considered that the player’s previous record was such that it required an additional period of suspension of one week. However, because of his plea, his conduct since the incident took place and other personal mitigation, the panel allowed some reduction.”
Worcester also confirmed centre Ben Te’o is likely to miss the start of the Six Nations as he recovers from an ankle injury.
Meanwhile, Wasps have reportedly signed All Blacks reserve flyhalf Lima Sopoaga.