"A Brilliant Character, A Great Guy" – Chris Robshaw: High praise for Joe Marler from former England and Harlequins captain
Today at 01:04 PM
As Joe Marler announced his retirement to take place this Friday when Harlequins take on Bristol at the Twickenham Stoop, his former England and Quins teammate Chris Robshaw offered a glowing tribute to one of rugby's most charismatic figures. Marler’s departure marks the conclusion of a storied career that spanned 16 years, and Robshaw's reflections provide a deep insight into Marler's impact at both the Stoop, and over the road at the Allianz Stadium.
“He’s a brilliant character. He’s a great guy,” Robshaw told Ruck, at the EPCR season launch in London. “I think his body and his mind are a little bit tired. I think it’s given him a little bit of aggro. The intensity in which you train at that level, not just once a week, every single day, you have to be fully in. I think, for Joe, it takes a brave man to say, ‘you know what, it’s my time to step away’. Marler's decision, Robshaw suggests, stems from a genuine concern for those around him, balancing his family, health, and rugby commitments.
Beyond the humor and larger-than-life persona, Robshaw believes that there is deeply committed athlete, who will go above and beyond the call of duty to see his team succeed. The former England captain recalled back to his first meeting with a young Joe Marler, in what was an unforgettable introduction to the legendary loose-head.
“He’s a larger than life and character, but he cares so much about rugby, and probably more than he lets on. His knowledge of the game is so good and so in depth, and when he speaks, people listen. You look at what he’s done, Lions tours, how many World Cups, and all the club stuff. He’s been playing for Quins since he was about 18 or 19, years old.
“I remember when he first came in from the setup, before I really knew him. I think he was on an U20s World Cup, and myself and Nick Easter were back from an England tour. We came back and trained together and we would rotate wrestling, the three of us. We basically spent preseason together. And trying to wrestle that guy for a preseason was horrendous for me!”
Marler's influence extends beyond his on-field performance. “He was a massive influence on Kyle Sinckler when he was younger,” Robshaw said, as well as noting Marler mentorship of rising talents like Fin Baxter and Asher Opoku-Fordjour.
“I think people often from the outside world probably don’t see that. They see the bit of a joker and couple of one liners, but he cares massively about English rugby, Harlequins rugby, of course, his family and stuff like that. He would get to the club early in the morning. Even though he lives miles away, he’d be the first one in.
“He’d be the first one in there, doing gym, working on stuff, helping other players. He was a massive influence on Kyle Sinckler when he was younger, getting him sorted, of course, with Fin (Baxter) now coming through the ranks, so there’s not many better mentors for having in the world of rugby.”
Looking ahead, Robshaw speculates that Marler's next steps might lean towards working in the media, with the foundations already laid as a personality of the sport. “I think he’ll go the media route. He's already doing well with his podcast and seems to have broken out beyond rugby.” Joe Marler leaves behind a legacy of excellence, mentorship, and authenticity. As Robshaw puts it, “Who knows with Joe, I think that’s what we enjoyed, he liked to keep us all on our toes.”
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