Northern Edition

Select Edition

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

Joe Marler's latest ban is a farce - Andy Goode

(Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Joe Marler being banned for just two weeks is a farce and World Rugby need to clamp down on unions dishing out whatever punishments suit them.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Marler example is just the latest in a long line of cases where high-profile players have been dealt with leniently, Antoine Dupont and Darcy Swain being a couple of others recently, and it’s incumbent on a global governing body to ensure everyone is playing by the same rules.

It’s a farce that the RFU are able to circumvent World Rugby’s guidelines and decide that they are “not bound by the sanctions table” because they view it as a breach of RFU Rule 5.12 rather than World Rugby Law 9.12 or Law 9.27.

Video Spacer

Being Barbarians | Trailer

Video Spacer

Being Barbarians | Trailer

Those latter two laws cover acts of verbal abuse and acts contrary to good sportsmanship. You’d be hard pushed to find anyone who thinks what Marler said doesn’t come under one or both of those laws.

Joe Marler
Joe Marler has apologised for the remarks.

People arguing that this is just banter need to take a long hard look at themselves as well. It’s one thing to say that someone got dressed in the dark or has a dodgy lid but you don’t go after people’s families.

Wherever you choose to draw the line, calling someone’s mother a “whore” is way over it in my book and the fact that Marler has positioned himself as a mental health advocate makes it even worse.

ADVERTISEMENT

Everyone makes mistakes and he has at least apologised but he said it twice and it’s not an isolated incident as he’s previously called Samson Lee “gypsy boy”, grabbed Alun Wyn Jones’ testicles and squeezed water in James Haskell’s face.

That track record makes the length of this ban all the more astounding. The RFU’s own press release even references that the panel “had regard to the player’s poor disciplinary record (as an aggravating feature)” and yet he still misses just two weeks.

Players often have their bans halved because of a clear disciplinary record, which is a bit of a joke in itself, but that avenue wasn’t available to the RFU and I’m not sure where the option to suspend four weeks of the original six-week ban has come from.

It’ll be interesting to see if he is named in Steve Borthwick’s England squad for the upcoming Six Nations but there’s no doubt the optics won’t be good if he is.

ADVERTISEMENT
Darcy Swain
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Dupont recently had his ban halved on appeal following his dangerous collision with Cheslin Kolbe and the Wallabies were somehow able to use Australia A games to mean Swain’s ban was dramatically reduced.

World Rugby simply has to get tougher and ensure there are clear and firm guidelines that everyone has to stick to rather than allowing individual unions to ride roughshod over them.

Related

I’ve read in some quarters that the RFU’s statement was strongly worded because it said Marler’s comments “should form no part of the modern game” and stressed the need to protect the values of the sport.

“Rugby’s core values are not empty words or slogans which can be signed up to and then ignored. They are not to be treated as useful bolt-ons dreamt up by a marketing team. They are integral to the game and are what make the game special,” it added.

Actions speak louder than words, though, and suspending someone for just a couple of weeks and circumventing World Rugby’s laws doesn’t suggest it’s being dealt with strongly or taken seriously to me.

Marler must know himself that he treads a fine line and gets plaudits left, right and centre for being a character so when he oversteps the mark like he undoubtedly has here, he has to take punishment but it is how those punishments are meted out that is the bigger issue.

Marler England Harlequins
(Photo by PA)

The RFU have let themselves down in my opinion but I’ve banged the drum for World Rugby to be stronger on this issue before and I think it’s about time they take a stand.

There has to be one set of very clear regulations for everyone to abide by and one set of definitive sanctions that all players, regardless of their profile or nationality, are subject to if they fall foul of those.

We’re about to head into a World Cup year and as we get closer to that biggest of stages we’re bound to see even more examples of unions imposing their own punishments if they see that they can get away with it.

Consistency and a level playing field are two of the basics that authorities should be looking to achieve in any sport and I’m not sure we can say that is the case in rugby at the moment. Here’s hoping for an improvement in 2023.

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

3 Comments
R
Robert 650 days ago

Andy Goode, thank you for saying what needs to be said. Rugby should be ashamed of itself for suspending four weeks of his 'ban'. Anyone who makes excuses for Mahler is no better than he.

Mahler is my least favorite player in all of the Premiership and has been for several seasons. He averages about 0.0001 meter per carry, he rucks and mauls only when he feels like it (which isn't often), and always seems to position his lazy self in defense on the side to which the attack will NOT be going. Add those dubious qualities to attacking someone's mother and it adds up to one clear sum - Joe Mahler might be good for the occasional joke, but the fact is that Joe Mahler is the biggest joke of all. And his self-promotion at the expense, and to the detriment, of the great game of rugby union, its supporters, and his teammates make him the biggest w***e of all.

Steve Borthwick has assembled an excellent squad for the 6 Nations training camp and it is sheer delight to not see Mahler's name on the selection list. England have plenty of props who can scrummage at a world class level, while playing a much more complete game and still making the nation proud - the latter two being abilities that Joe Mahler sorely lacks.

There. I said it, too. Cheers.

B
Barry 673 days ago

Joe Marler is a diplomat compared to previous front row Harlequins. I specifically remember Terry Claxton and his brother ( this was way before the game turned pro ) who would say absolutely outrageous things on and off the pitch. Back then it was treated as a “ bit of banter “. The game needs characters and Joe is certainly one ! As for England selection Borthwick is very much his own man and I’m certain he will pick players solely based on form.. we have a plethora of world class front rows to select from… so, we’ll wait and see..

A
Alex 674 days ago

JFC he made a "your mom," joke, people are acting like he battered someone over the head. It was super immature, but people need to calm down.

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ Mick Cleary: 'Borthwick needs to have faith in Marcus Smith' Mick Cleary: 'Borthwick needs to have faith in Marcus Smith'
Search