Joe Marler's Most Iconic Moments: The Ultimate Highs and Lows from rugby's charismatic Loose Head

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The rugby world will bid farewell to one of the all-time great characters this Friday, as Joe Marler gets set for his retirement match at the Twickenham Stoop. The loose-head hung up the Test match boots with England earlier this month, and yesterday Marler confirmed his intentions to end his career-long run with Harlequins, following this Friday’s Premiership Rugby match against Bristol Bears.

There is no denying that Marler is one such rugby player who has transcended the sport. His incredible charisma has made him a household name in the mainstream media, with prime-time TV appearances coinciding with the rise of his podcast ‘Joe Marler’s Things People Do’. The loose-head would always add his unique touch to his player portrait for match day graphics, with his raised eyebrow and quizzical expression instantly recognised alongside his iconic blonde mohawk.

Aside from his trailblazing personality as a rugby character, Marler backed up his unique persona as one of the world’s very best props. Arguably England’s best loose-head scrummager right up until his Test match retirement, Marler’s no-nonsense approach to leading his team juxtaposed his fun-loving character and he would empty the tank on every appearance for club and country. From his debut in the famous Quins quarters to winning the 2016 Six Nations as the best prop in the world, it has certainly been a ‘rollercoaster ride’ for the 34-year-old, who shared a departing message across social media.

So, we have had a crack at compiling the ultimate highs and lows of Joe Marler’s decorated career, that has spanned 15 years in the London borough of Richmond and Twickenham. Whilst we could not include every iconic one-liner Marler has quipped, for both article restraints and censorship reasons, we have done our best to give the one of a kind prop a proper send off. Here are the greatest (and not so greatest) moments, throughout the storied rugby career of Joe Marler.

From Humble Beginnings

After progressing through the ranks with his beloved Eastbourne Sharks, Marler began to represent his home county of Sussex at the age of 14. The loose-head was scouted for a place in the Harlequins Academy and was officially brought onto the books as a fresh faced teenager in the 2008/09 Premiership season. Whilst the exact details of Marler’s Harlequins debut looked to have been lost to the annuals of history, the loose-head progressed through the ranks after spending some time out on loan with National League clubs Esher and Worthing.

Marler would earn his first international honors in 2008, as he was called-up to captain the England U20s. The front row pulled no punches at the age grade level, as was a pivotal member of the side who finished runners-up in the 2009 IRB Junior World Champions. The eventual winners, New Zealand, featured future All Black Aaron Cruden, whilst Marler’s England cohort included the likes of James Gaskell and Tom Homer. The international progression continued for the young Marler, who had achieved an England A involvement in 2011, as he was apart of the England Saxons outfit that took on Italy.

England Debut – 2012 Summer Tour of South Africa

The international honors would continue for Marler, with his senior England call-up coming in the Summer of 2012. Marler was selected by former head coach Stuart Lancaster for the the Summer Tour of South Africa, and Marler went head to head with Springbok tight-head Jannie du Plessis for a Test debut on June 9th. Marler made his England debut alongside Jonathan Joseph and Tom Johnson, with Marler’s 95 subsequent caps showcasing his longevity up against his England debut twins.

Marler retain his place in the touring team for the second Test with the Springboks, as he successfully kept Alex Corbisiero out of the starting XV. England were unable to secure a win against South Africa on that tour, with two defeats and a draw coming on the tour in the land of the Springboks. Marler was an unused replacement for the final match of the three match series, that ended in a rare 14-14 draw on South African soil.

“You’re f****** boring me, hurry up!” – Joe Marler’s best one liners

As Marler continued to rise in his on-field prominence, so did his character as one of rugby’s best wise crackers. The loose-head found himself in the spotlight throughout the empty stadiums of the Covid pandemic, as there was no crowd noise to cover the quick wit of the loose-head. One of the most memorable lines saw Marler shout at former Exeter Chiefs scrum half Nic White, as the Devon side were slow to get the ball out of a ruck: “You’re f****** boring me, hurry up!”

Following Harlequins win in the 2021 Premiership Final, Marler was called for the duties of a post match press conference and could not hear himself talk over the eruption of noise at Twickenham Stadium. The loose-head gave his finest impression of Brick Tamland, from the film Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. “I don’t know what I’m saying! It’s loud noises, I love lamp!” was Marler concise chat with the TV broadcasters after he won his second Premiership title.

“Are you wearing those boots for a bet?” Another iconic line from Marler saw him berate the choice footwear of Premiership referee Andrew Small. The line caught everyone off guard as Quins prepared to pack down against London Irish, with the match official cracking a smile and a quick retort of his own “Yeah, I paid for mine though.” Think it’s safe to say the former England prop won that dual of words.

Then re-wind back to 2015, and Marler had a full head of steam after a disappointing Rugby World Cup campaign with England. Stuart Lancaster’s side suffered pool stage defeats to Wales and Australia, and subsequently became the first hosting nation of the World Cup to fail to progress to the knock-out stage. Marler returned to Harlequins sooner than expected, and his emotions were running high as he explained his late hit on a Wasps player to referee Luke Pearce; “You’ve got to understand the energy levels, there’s a lot of frustration. you didn’t get knocked out of a World Cup mate, I did.”

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