Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Just retired Joe Marler issues come get me to UK reality TV shows

By PA
Joe Marler - PA

Joe Marler may have called time on his England career but the limelight still beckons – with reality TV now in his sights.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Harlequins prop announced his retirement from the international game last weekend after earning 95 caps and playing in three World Cups over a 12-year career.

The 34-year-old will see out the remainder of the season with his club but is now looking ahead.

Despite anticipating people would “mock the fact I’ve got no dance moves” and he would “be really bad at anything in confined spaces because I’m claustrophobic”, he admits programmes such as ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ and ‘I’m a Celebrity… Get Out Me Out of Here’ would appeal.

Video Spacer

Response to the pre-match Haka chaos at Ellis Park | RPTV

The Boks Office crew, joined by Andrew Mehrtens, discuss the performance of the Haka before facing South Africa. Watch the full episode on RugbyPass TV

Watch now

Video Spacer

Response to the pre-match Haka chaos at Ellis Park | RPTV

The Boks Office crew, joined by Andrew Mehrtens, discuss the performance of the Haka before facing South Africa. Watch the full episode on RugbyPass TV

Watch now

Marler told the Daily Mail: “Would I do that stuff? Yeah, but it’s not a career is it?

“I’d do it as a fan of those shows and I’d do it for the desire I have to experience those things.

“I’d love to go in the jungle. I’m a Celeb. That’d be such great fun.”

Marler’s decision to retire came after he recently withdrew from England’s squad for their autumn internationals for personal reasons.

He says it was something he had considered for some time and was prompted by how upset his daughter was about the amount of time he was spending away from home.

ADVERTISEMENT

“It was sad to admit,” said Marler, who was also in the headlines recently after making controversial comments about New Zealand’s haka.

“How long can you flog a dead horse? It wasn’t a knee-jerk thing.

“My daughter Maggie had been crying her eyes out about me leaving for matches, asking, ‘Why do you have to keep going away?’”

England coach Steve Borthwick asked Marler to stay on and play “one more game” alongside fellow front-rower and long-time team-mate Dan Cole against South Africa.

ADVERTISEMENT

“There was three per cent of me in that moment that thought, ‘Maybe’, but I’d made up my mind,” Marler said.

He admits breaking the news to his friend Cole was emotional.

He said: “I just hugged him and started crying in his arms. That was the outpouring of emotion, the weight of it had just gone. I knew it was the right choice but there was a sadness. That was it.”

Related

In this episode of Walk the Talk, Jim Hamilton chats with double World Cup winner Damian de Allende about all things Springbok rugby, including RWC2023 and the upcoming Ireland series. Watch now for free on RugbyPass TV

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

TRENDING
TRENDING Five legends to be inducted into World Rugby Hall of Fame Five legends to be inducted into World Rugby Hall of Fame
Search