Mail Sport’s newest columnist, Joe Marler, has pulled a surprise move by announcing his retirement from international rugby.
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With his trademark humour and honesty, the Harlequins prop didn’t just share the news; he lifted the curtain on life under Eddie Jones and detailed how England head coach Steve Borthwick tried to persuade him to stay.
Want more? Marler will be spilling all the beans throughout the autumn internationals and the Six Nations in his Mail+ exclusive columns.
“Life with Eddie was… an adventure”
Marler has never been one to shy away from expressing his thoughts, and his time with former head coach Eddie Jones was no different. The outspoken forward offered a candid look at the intensity and unpredictability of life in the England camp under Jones. And while Steve Borthwick did his best to entice him back into the national setup, Marler was resolute in his decision to step away.
Dreaming of the Jungle
Always up for a laugh, Marler even toyed with the idea of trading rugby boots for jungle trials. “I’d love to go in the jungle,” he revealed in his first column, referring to I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!
“Obviously, it comes with the risk that James Haskell experienced – or said he experienced – that he was edited badly.
“That’s why he came across so badly, because he was so hungry. Hmmm, yeah, it was definitely the edit! ‘The risk is you put yourself out there, outside the rugby bubble and you’ve got to realise there’s going to be loads of people that don’t like you.”
Claustrophobic Confessions
Marler then turned to his hilarious struggle with claustrophobia. “Do I think I’d be good? You don’t know until you try it,” he said. “But I’d be awful in confined spaces. The amount of drugs I’ve taken to knock me out for an MRI could knock out a decent-sized horse.
“Otherwise, I have a panic attack. It’s bad.” He even once had to use a giant animal MRI machine at London Zoo, shaped like a burger: “But it was still quite close to my nose!”
Editors picks:
- Nigel Owens takes on first coaching role this Autumn after turning down Springboks
- Ollie Lawrence has proved Eddie Jones damning comments were very, very wrong
- Gabby Logan’s Son Making Waves in Rugby, Tipped as Future England Star
- Joe Marler could make international rugby return in 2025, but not with England
- Fans Are Only Just Realising Why Ireland’s Rugby Team Has Two National Anthems
Podcasting and Future Ambitions
Marler has already begun exploring life beyond rugby, notably through his podcast, “Joe Marler’s Things People Do” (previously “The Joe Marler Show”). The show, which isn’t rugby-centric, allows Marler to engage with a diverse range of people and topics.
Joe Marler’s dream team:
Marler’s cheeky selection features seven All Blacks legends in his team, with three from Ireland, two Welsh, two Australians and a Fijian nicknamed ‘The Bus’.
FRONT-ROW
1. Tony Woodcock (New Zealand)
2. Rory Best (Ireland)
3. Carl Hayman (New Zealand)
SECOND-ROW
4. Alun Wyn Jones (Wales)
5. Paul O’Connell (Ireland)
BACK-ROW
6. Jerome Kaino (New Zealand)
7. Justin Tipuric (Wales)
8. Kieran Read (New Zealand)
HALFBACKS
9. Will Genia (Australia)
10. Dan Carter (New Zealand)
CENTRES:
12. Ma’a Nonu (New Zealand)
13. Brian O’Driscoll (Ireland)
BACK-THREE:
11. Siteveni Sivivatu (New Zealand)
14. Josua Tuisova (Fiji)
15. Israel Folau (Australia)
On selecting Folau as his fullback, Marler commented, “On the night out, after we had played our match on the Saturday, I’d take him out in Brighton to The Blue Oyster… a couple of clubs.”
