Joe Marler has echoed the opinion of former England teammate Ben Youngs that the Six Nations needs a major format reshaping.
RUCK’s 2024 Guinness Six Nations content
Un an exclusive chat with Jim Hamilton on The Big Jim Show podcast, Youngs didn't mince words.
Traditionally, the Six Nations has been a grueling seven-week affair, with each team locked in a round-robin showdown against their five rivals.
But Youngs, the most capped player in England's illustrious history, is adamant: it's time for a change.
"The Six Nations shouldn't drag on for eight weeks. Let's trim it down to five, pack it with action, and give players a breather afterwards," he declared.
"With a tighter schedule, you'd see better ratings and a lot more nail-biting drama."
Marler agrees with Youngs, saying: "It should be five weeks as well" when acknowledging Martin Bayfield's article on Six Nations coverage.
“Petrified of him” – Wayne Barnes and Nigel Owens both name the worst players to referee
Nigel Owens and Wayne Barnes have been sharing insights into the biggest worky-ticket players they've encountered while officiating high-profile matches throughout their careers.
#1. Richie McCaw
BARNES SAID: “Richie always had the knack of asking the right question at the right time, sometimes it felt like I was losing a little bit of control. Contrary to popular belief, he didn’t talk a lot on the field. He knew the law book inside out and so when he asked a question, he often had a point.”
OWENS SAID: "If anybody had to pick the greatest player in history, it would surely be a difficult choice between him and Gareth Edwards."
#2. Dan Biggar
OWENS SAID: “Oh god yes. He’s so focused and so passionate about what he’s doing, we’ve had a few run ins on the pitch down the years. I mean, it’s always been in a respectful way as we always have a drink and a laugh after the game.”
DID YOU KNOW? Biggar has his own routine before kicking goals, which fans now call "The Biggarena" after Los Del Rio's 1995 hit, Macarena.
#3. Martin Johnson
BARNES SAID: “I was always petrified of him because he was coming to the end of his career when I started in the Premiership. 2003 was my first [season] and obviously that was towards the end of his career and I remember I had to sin-bin him once and I actually apologised as I did it. I said ‘I’m very sorry I have to do this’ because he’s such a big personality. I guess he was always someone who scared me witless!”
DID YOU KNOW? Under his management England won the 2011 Six Nations Championship, their first since 2003
#4. Austin Healey
OWENS SAID: “Definitely. I only caught him towards the end of his career, thankfully. A wonderfully talented player and a very good pundit now, but he always had plenty say and quickly assumed I didn’t like him. He’s actually blocked me on Twitter, but I don’t think I’m the only one.”
DID YOU KNOW? He is a famously competitive and "outspoken" character, gaining the nickname "The Leicester Lip"
#5. Maro Itoje (England)
OWENS SAID: “Itoje is someone who plays right on the edge. That is what makes him such a great player. He must be so difficult to play against but he’s also difficult to referee and I mean that with the utmost respect."
BARNES SAID: "The hardest players are the best players,”
Maro Itoje of England during the Autumn Nations Match between England and Tonga at Twickenham Stoop on 6 November 2021. Photo: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK
