Marler retirement should serve as a warning, not come as a shock – Andy Goode
Joe Marler’s international retirement isn’t as big a shock as it might seem at first but it should serve as a warning to those running the game.
Hearing that someone is retiring from international rugby at the age of 28 when there’s no injury involved has to come as something of a surprise but when you listen to the reasons behind the decision it is completely understandable and in a way it’s surprising it doesn’t happen more.
Playing in a Test match and representing your country is a massive honour but that match day represents just a tenth of the effort that goes in and there are downsides behind closed doors that the public don’t see.
Everyone’s personal situation is different and I’m in no position to talk about Joe’s or anyone else’s but you don’t see the strain that rugby can put on family life and it can have very real knock-on effects on mental health as well so it’s a very individual decision and one that should be respected.
It’s easy for people on the outside who aren’t professional rugby players to say they can’t believe he’s giving up the chance to play for England and I understand that point of view but you have to have been in that position to appreciate the pressure and strain it puts on family life.
As an international rugby player, you’re away from home for huge chunks of time. There has been a training camp in Bristol this week and there are others throughout the year on top of the long periods of time you’re away for matches.
Players are going to be away for five weeks during the autumn internationals, then come back shattered and go away again straight away with their club for a big European game, it’s then the Christmas period before there’s another international camp in January, more major European matches that month and then over two months for the Six Nations with a lot of that spent away from home.
After the end of the domestic season, there are then going to be camps throughout the summer in the lead-up to the World Cup. It’s relentless.
Many will question the timing of this decision and ask why he doesn’t carry on playing until the end of the 2019 World Cup but I’m exhausted just outlining that non-stop treadmill that you’d have to be on to make it that far.
To turn down the adulation, the chance to go to a World Cup in less than 12 months’ time and the money that comes with it all as well, of course, is a big decision and it’s a brave one that he hasn’t taken lightly.
The selfish thing to do would be to keep doing it and taking the £23,000 per game and other benefits even if his heart isn’t fully in it. The hardest course of action is the one he’s taken and I massively respect him for it.
Sir Clive Woodward has spoken out to say he just cannot understand it but people on the outside making comments like that have no understanding of the current strains on players in the modern game.
If you’re a 19-year-old kid or a 22-year-old at the start of your career, you might be amazed at the decision but life is different when you’re 28 and have a family and rugby is a job. The players know they’re very privileged to do it but it can’t always be at the expense of family life.
Your kids grow up fast. My twins are now nearly a year old and I can’t believe where that year’s gone. It’s flown by and if I was still playing, I’d be missing precious moments like bathing them and reading them stories.
When you can’t do that at all for five weeks straight because of a summer tour and even the autumn internationals and Six Nations when you’re still away for most of it, it takes its toll.
Joe has two young kids and has crammed in 59 caps since he made his England debut six years ago (despite being banned a few times!). He only missed four Tests in four years between 2012 and 2016 so he’s been away a lot.
You can’t play international rugby at 80% and pick and choose which games you play. You’re either all in or all out and it’s sad for everyone that wants to see him playing for England but he’s made this decision in the best interests of his family.
New Zealanders are often allowed to take sabbaticals and other unions, such as the Irish and Welsh, look after their players and restrict the amount of games that their top players play but that isn’t possible in England at the moment because the RFU didn’t take the opportunity 20 years ago to run the game centrally.
They could have seen the recent £275m offer from CVC as an opportunity to discuss the structure again and perhaps find a way to take back some control of the club game but, as things stand, the players are the clubs’ assets and they are being pulled in two different directions.
The boys are playing too much high intensity rugby. Peter O’Mahony has spoken out this week as well to say that it just isn’t going to possible to play 30 games per year moving forwards and he’s spot on. The game has moved on and we have to adapt and look after players better.
Growing up, all you dream of is playing for your country and I remember the pride, the buzz and the enjoyment when I won my first England cap. Nobody can take that away from you and Joe has experienced the feeling of pulling on that jersey with a red rose on it 59 times. I know it means a huge amount to him and he wouldn’t have made this decision without very good reason.
But, there is a lot more international rugby nowadays than there used to be, too much in my opinion and I think it’s saturated to a certain extent. World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont spoke about changing the international calendar on the very same day that Joe was leaving the international fold and I do think something has to change.
Joe’s international retirement will cause others to stop and think and it’s an early warning sign to those in charge of the sport, especially in this country, that things can’t carry on as they are.
That’s not for Joe to worry about now though and the comments from people from all over the world since his announcement show just what high regard he’s held in.
Only Jason Leonard, Dan Cole and Phil Vickery have won more caps for England at prop and they all won theirs over a much longer period. He’s had a phenomenal international career and played with as much physical edge as anyone else I can think of.
He’s a real character as well. I’ve got to know him a bit over the past few months and he’s absolutely brilliant when you get to know him and he’s a player you absolutely detest playing against because he’s hard and uncompromising and England will really miss him.
He may have made a name for himself with a mohawk at the start but he’s played in a World Cup, won a Grand Slam and toured with the British & Irish Lions. His has been a stellar international career and we should celebrate that, while applauding the decision he’s taken to put his family first.
Comments on RugbyPass
True Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
21 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
10 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
78 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
21 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
10 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
2 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
3 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
3 Go to commentsIs Barrett going play full back??? They already have all the centers…
16 Go to commentsForgive my ignorance, I might not fully understand so would appreciate clarification: Didn’t the Bulls have to fly with three different carriers, paid for by the South African Rugby Union, whilst Edinburgh got a chartered flight sponsored by EPCR? Also, as far as I understand it South African teams don’t yet share in the revenue from the competition and are not allowed to host Semi-finals or Finals at home. Surely if everyone wants South Africans to “take the competition seriously” then they must make South Africans feel welcome, allow them to share in the revenue, and give them the same levels of access as the teams from the other countries. Just a reminder that South Africa has a large and passionate Rugby audience. Just by virtue of our teams being a part of these competitions means that more of us are likely to watch the knockout games, even if our teams haven’t qualified. It would be silly to alienate such a large audience by making them feel unwelcome.
21 Go to commentsFirst of all. This guy is very much behind the curve. All the bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning took place days ago already. Not adding anything to the topic other than more bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning. 🍼 Second of all, not one mention of the fact that South African teams can’t get home semi finals or finals. The tournament was undermined and devalued by the administrators. 🤡 Thirdly, football teams often have to juggle selections in mid week games, premier games, champions league games etc. and will from time to time prioritize certain titles over others. 🐒 And lastly FEK Neil, and anyone else for that matter, for insisting on telling teams how to manage themselves. If they make what is largely a business decision that suits them and doesn’t suit you - tough shite. 💩 It’s not rocket science as to why the Bulls did what they did. If this guy is too slow to figure it out (and is deliberately not mentioning one of the key reasons why) then he isn’t a journalist. He should join the rest of us pundit plebs in comments section. 🥴
21 Go to commentsSo the first door to knock on Rob is Parliament followed by HMRC. The Irish Revenue deliver a 40% tax relief rebate on the HIGHEST EARNING TEN YEARS of every pro Irish rugby players contract earnings at retirement. That goes a long way to both retaining their best talent and freeing up wages for marquee players. Who knows, if that had been in place in the UK, you might not have been able to poach Hoggy and Jonny Gray from Glasgow…!!!
3 Go to comments1. True, if that “free” ticket means access to all but the prized exhibit - EVIP only. SA cannot host semis, even if they’ve earned it (see Sharks vs ASM Clermont Auvergne at… Twickenham Stoop). 2. Why no selective outrage over Lyon doing the exact same thing a week earlier? Out of all the countries France send the most “B teams”, why nobody talking about “disrespect” and “prioritising domestic leagues” and “kicking them out”? 3. Why no mention of the Sharks fielding all of their Springboks for the second rate Challenge cup QF? No commitment? 4. Why no mention of all the SA teams qualifying for respective euro knock out comps in the two seasons they’ve been in it? How many euro teams have qualified for KO’s in their history? Can’t compete? 5. Why no mention of SA teams beating French and English giants La Rochelle and Saracens? How many euro teams have done that in their history? Add no quality? The fact is that SA teams are only in their second season in europe, with no status and a fraction of the resources. Since joining the URC, SA has seen a repatriation of a number of players, and this will only grow once SA start sharing in the profits of competing in these comps, meaning bigger squads with greater depth and quality, meaning they don’t have to prioritise comps as they have to now - they don’t have imports from Pacifica and South America and everywhere else in between like “European” teams have - also less “Saffas” in Prem and T14, that’s what we want right? 'If the South Africans are in, they need to be all in' True, and we have to ensure we give them the same status and resources as we give everyone else to do just that. A small compromise on scheduling will go a long way in avoiding these situations, but guess what, France and England wont compromise on scheduling because they ironically… prioritise their domestic comps, go figure!
21 Go to comments