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'It was crap' - nothing will make up for England's 2015 World Cup failure says Joe Marler
Joe Marler insists that even a successful World Cup in Japan would fail to make up for the “crap” experience of 2015.
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England’s dismal group-stage exit four years ago was their worst performance in tournament history, resulting in the dismissal of Stuart Lancaster and appointment of Eddie Jones.
It would have been Marler’s last World Cup experience had he not reversed his decision to retire from international rugby in June, enabling him to secure a place in Jones’ squad.
“This isn’t unfinished business. If I’d not come back 2015 would still be the same,” the Harlequins prop said.
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“I’d still feel the same about 2015 irrelevant of what happens at this World Cup. It’s completely different. 2015 was an experience – it was crap.
“That’s the mildest I think I’ve ever put it, but it happened. I’ll always have that.
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“If we win this World Cup it won’t then be like I can forget about 2015 because that will still have happened. So it’s not for me to go ‘I need to right some wrongs’.
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“Those memories help in terms of experience talking to the other boys, but it’s also a hard one to relate to Japan.
“A home World Cup is just completely unique and I don’t think it will be anything like going away to Japan.”
Marler’s captain during that ill-fated campaign, Chris Robshaw, has tipped England to fare much better this time around telling The Guardian it is a two-horse race.
“I think it will be between England and South Africa,” he told The Guardian.
Having last played for England last June, Robshaw didn’t make Eddie Jones’ 31-man squad for this year’s tournament in Japan.
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The 33-year-old loose forward predicts that England and South Africa have enough quality throughout their squads to land the Webb Ellis Cup in November.
“Of course I hope England win it. It would be brilliant for the guys and amazing for the country.
“Seeing the buzz about the football, in both the men’s and women’s World Cup, and now the Ashes, you realise how sport galvanises the country like nothing else. This England side has the potential to do that.”
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