Joe Marler laughed in Steve Borthwick's face before quitting rugby
Today at 01:58 AM
Former England prop Joe Marler has officially called time on his rugby career, revealing the physical and mental strain became too much.
Join the RUCK's WhatsApp community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.
The 34-year-old said goodbye in November after one last run-out for Harlequins against Bristol Bears, capping off a remarkable career with 95 England caps, three Rugby World Cups, and three Six Nations triumphs.
Known for his unfiltered humour and no-nonsense attitude, Marler had previously stepped away from international rugby in 2018, only to return for the 2019 World Cup.
This time, however, he insists it's the end – and he's already made a seamless transition into life after rugby.
"Blowing Out My A*"**
Reflecting on his decision to step away, Marler shared the moment he realised his time was up:
"We were in Girona [with England]. I remember sitting there at the end of the week, on the step in the lovely sun, blowing out my a*** and it was a really nice moment.
“But I was looking at all the young boys around and going, ‘Well, that’s it then.’ The game has definitely passed me by, I can’t keep up with these f***ers anymore. I can’t physically keep up with them and mentally, I just didn’t have the drive to try anymore.”
Borthwick's Wild Idea
Marler also opened up about his chat with England boss Steve Borthwick when he announced his decision.
“Steve did say, ‘Look, you’ve obviously put a lot of thought into it. I respect your decision [but] I wanted you to make it to the next World Cup.’ And I laughed! I thought that was a good one. But he said: ‘No, I’m being very serious.'”
"Milestones? Not My Thing"
Podcast co-hosts Ben Youngs and Dan Cole asked Marler if he regretted not hitting 100 England caps – just five shy of the magic number. His response? Classic Marler.
“Milestones have never interested me,” he said.
“I just wanted to beat Tim Payne’s cap record, which was 26. So as soon as I hit 27, I pretty much gave up then anyway, the next 70-odd I thought there’s no point! Milestones aren’t a big thing until you get within a few caps of doing it, then you’re sort of semi-thinking ‘100 caps would be a nice round number to finish off on’.”
"No Thanks to the Hurrah"
Unlike some players who enjoy a grand send-off, Marler prefers to keep things low-key.
“You look at the hurrahs that a lot of our former teammates have got, and then I think actually I wouldn’t want any of that whatsoever. I just want to slip away into the night and leave the sport.”
EDITORS PICKS:
- Ilona Maher is one of rugby's richest stars with huge net worth
- Stuart Lancaster has signed another England star for Racing 92
- Ranked: The 50 Greatest British & Irish Lions Players of All Time – Who's No.1?
- Fans Are Only Just Realising Where They Recognise Eben Etzebeth's Wife From
- Michael Cheika to depart Leicester with likely replacement revealed
Quiz: Name these 10 retro British & Irish Lions rugby players
Rugby history runs deep, and the British & Irish Lions have produced some of the most iconic players to ever grace the pitch. But can you spot a Lions legend from a lineup?
Test your knowledge with this quiz! For each question, we'll give you three possible answers—only one is correct.
Think you've got what it takes to ace this retro challenge? Let's find out!
EDITORS PICKS:
- Can you name every member of the 2017 British and Irish Lions?
- QUIZ: Can you name these 10 England one-cap wonders…
- Can you name the top 10 Premiership point-scorers?
- Can you name every England Rugby captain of the professional era?
- Can You Name Every British & Irish Lions Captain Since 2001?
The post Joe Marler laughed in Steve Borthwick’s face before quitting rugby appeared first on Ruck.
