Joe Marler is now England’s fourth most-banned player in rugby history

#5. Joe Marler – 29 weeks

England and Harlequins prop Marler’s latest ban was for six weeks – four of them suspended – after accepting a charge regarding comments made to Bristol flanker Jake Heenan.

“Rugby’s core values are not empty words or slogans which can be signed up to & then ignored. They are not to be treated as useful bolt-ons dreamt up by a marketing team.”

Joe Marler banned for two weeks & disciplinary chairman Gareth Graham not mincing his words afterwards.

— Nick Mullins (@andNickMullins) December 30, 2022

In 2016, he received a two-week ban following the “gypsy boy” saga, involving Wales’ Samson Lee, which erupted out of the Six Nations game at Twickenham.

The same penalty was to follow a couple of months later after he was cited for kicking Grenoble hooker Arnaud Héguy while playing for Harlequins in the European Challenge Cup semi-final.

Marler was then banned for three weeks in October 2017 after striking Wasps and now Wales lock Will Rowlands with an elbow and for six weeks later that same season for a shoulder charge on Sale’s TJ Ioane.

And, of course, in 2020 he was suspended for ten weeeks for grabbing the genitals of Wales skipper Alun Wyn Jones in the Six Nations encounter at Twickenham.

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