England prop Joe Marler has put any injury worries behind him and will start for Harlequins Exeter Chiefs after shrugging off a shoulder injury.
He had been due to start against Gloucester, but he was forced to drop out of the team on the day of the game after failing a late fitness test.
Previewing this weekend’s replay of the 2020/21 Premiership final, Skills and Kicking Coach Charlie Mulchrone said: “It’s a game I’m sure everyone is looking forward to, even as a neutral, given it’s a replay of the final. Hopefully, it will be as exciting as it was last year, hopefully, a bit more comfortable for us, we’ll see.
“Both teams, going off the stats, like to keep the ball in play and like to play attacking rugby. It’s probably been limited recently because of the weather. No matter how attacking you want to be if it’s blowing a gale or it’s howling down your tactics have to change slightly.
“I think it’s meant to be quite gusty this weekend, but we’re two attacking teams and that’s how we want to play. Hopefully, we get that, weather permitting.”
Harlequins Starting XV
1. Joe Marler
2. Jack Walker
3. Will Collier
4. Matt Symons
5. Hugh Tizard
6. Tom Lawday
7. Jack Kenningham
8. Alex Dombrandt – Captain
9. Danny Care
10. Marcus Smith
11. Cadan Murley
12. Andre Esterhuizen
13. Luke Northmore
14. Joe Marchant
15. Tyrone Green
Impact Players
16. Jack Musk
17. Santiago Garcia Botta
18. Simon Kerrod
19. Dino Lamb
20. James Chisholm
21. Scott Steele
22. Huw Jones
23. Louis Lynagh
Unavailable due to injury:
Aaron Morris, Tommy Allan, Will Evans
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“Ban the f***ing caterpillar ruck” – Joe Marler’s ‘five-point plan’ to save rugby
Joe Marler was questioned on rugby governance, and has drawn up a manifesto with Rassie Erasmus lined up to be his right hand man when he takes power.
You can read Marler’s full brilliant manifesto by clicking here.
#1. KILL THE CATERPILLAR
Marler said: The first thing I would do is ban the f***ing caterpillar ruck,’ he says. ‘It kills me. The whole thing is an a***. I would go as far as saying I’d ban box kicks but I might start to sound like Clive Woodward.
‘I want to see referees sanction the scrum-half for not using it when they shout “Use it”. I also want to get rid of the rule where the defence get the ball back if they hold you up and create a maul in the tackle.’
