Danny Care has defended teammate Joe Marler after the England prop was cited for grabbing Alun Wyn Jones’ genitals during the side’s 33-30 victory over Wales in the Six Nations.
‘It’s one of those things that if you know Joe and you’ve played with him or spent a lot of time with him, you know he hasn’t done it in a malicious way. You know he hasn’t gone out there to annoy anyone or anger anyone or disrespect anyone. He’s done it in Joe’s way of being Joe,’ Care said on BBC’s Rugby Union Weekly podcast.
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‘Alun Wyn Jones is a team-mate of his from the Lions, I’m pretty sure they’re mates. The scuffle has broken out, Joe’s tried to make light of it and do what he’s done on Alun Wyn Jones.
‘They don’t [sound like mates] which is news to me. When I saw it, I just thought it was two lads messing around who were good mates but I can completely understand the massively split reaction.’
He added: ‘Out of the context of sport and a bit of banter it obviously isn’t funny. You put that in any other place of work and there’s going to be some serious repercussions from it. ‘I think anyone involved in rugby… things like that are seen as a joke. It’s seen as a bit of banter.
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‘Exeter Chiefs, a few years back, every single try they scored they would all bundle on each other and tap each other on the genitals. That was there way of celebrating which we all thought was weird but I never thought anything of it other than it was just a bit strange.
‘So to see Joe doing that, in my personal opinion and this isn’t the opinion of everyone, I don’t see an awful lot wrong with it. I think it’s a bit of a joke between two guys who have played against each other and know each other and he’s trying to make light of the situation.’