Joe Marler calls for unity in England squad in face of Saracens sanctions
Joe Marler does not think there will be a split in Eddie Jones’ Six Nations England squad after Saracens accepted sanctions for salary cap breaches and fully expects the club’s players to feature in the tournament next year.
The loosehead prop returned to domestic duty with Harlequins on Monday after his World Cup exploits and could face Bath in the Heineken Champions Cup on Saturday.
In the Gallagher Premiership, Harlequins have encountered a tough start, but sit above Saracens, who have just been hit with a 35-point deduction and fined £5.36million for breaching the salary cap during the last three seasons.
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The 2018-19 double-winners have now accepted their punishment after choosing not to appeal against the sanctions and are facing up to the prospect of a relegation battle.
With this in mind, England head coach Jones speculated whether Saracens’ players may decide not to play in the Six Nations, but the Harlequins forward does not feel that will be the case and dismissed suggestions there will be animosity between the group.
“From a specific Sarries point of view, I would be surprised if boys did choose to play for their club based on Sarries having a strong enough and big enough squad to cope anyway, but it is a choice, there is always a choice,” Marler said.
“You come in with the national side, put your club hat to one side and you all buy into playing for England.
“If I go back into the group, there might be a little bit more banter. I’ve given them (Saracens players) a bit about it over the last four or five years.
Another dent in the Saracens bank balance https://t.co/Bixc2ohvjk
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 19, 2019
“It’ll be put to one side. I don’t think any bridges will need to be built there.
“I’ve teased them about it for the last few years. They’ve teased me about my s*** hair, how bad we’ve been here (Harlequins) in the past, my breath, my wonky nose.
“Let’s say you’re a Sarries player and I’m me. You go into the England camp and this has come out. I come here and go, ‘how about the old salary cap stuff?’. It’s, ‘yeah, gutted.’ How much more do you think we need to do?
“We’ve got to play for England. We’ve got a task to try and win the Six Nations. Why would I get caught up about constantly going on about the differences there? It’s been dealt with.
“You can’t change the past. It’s been dealt with. I wouldn’t want to carry something on if it had been dealt with.”
Harlequins head of rugby Paul Gustard spent two years playing for Saracens before joining the coaching set-up in 2008 and remained there until 2016.
The 43-year-old believes the Allianz Park club are “strong enough” to cope without their England players during the Six Nations and insisted those who choose club over country would effectively retire from international rugby.
Gustard said: “It’s a big thing to say, ‘I’m not going to play in the Six Nations because of something that a club has done’ or for a club to ask you to do.
“I think that club’s strong enough with good characters, good coaching staff and exceptional players that they’ll find a way to come through it somehow.”
– Press Association
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Comments on RugbyPass
A wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
24 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to comments