England head coach Eddie Jones is hoping to persuade Joe Marler to keep playing after his ban.
The prop threatened to quit after receiving a 10-week ban last month for grabbing Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones by the groin.
‘At the end of the day, Joe is a great player but we want players who want to play for England and he will make that decision,’ said Jones.
Marler to quit rugby – reportshttps://t.co/PNuARZfqXR
— WalesOnline Rugby (@WalesRugby) March 29, 2020
‘There is a lot of depth to him as a character. He has obviously made some mistakes but he is a great team man, he is a good rugby player and he is a good person.
‘I look forward to having a chat to him at the appropriate time. We keep in contact with texts here and there. We were due to catch up in Horsham a couple of weeks ago but social distancing rules came in so we were unable to do that.
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“I will catch up with Joe face to face and we will have a chat. That is the only way I will be able to give you an answer.
‘I think you have just got to look at “The Beast” who was probably at his best in the World Cup in 2019 at the age of 34.
“Joe is still a relatively young man at 29 and he has got a lot of rugby ahead of him. But you have got to have the desire to want to keep playing and only Joe knows that.’
LIST | 20 times Joe Marler didn’t give a RUCK
He really doesn’t care.
1. Nowhere else to start
Taking life, or a Welshman, by the balls…
2. When he taught us his favourite word
Stuart Barnes is a complete helmet……..
— Joe Marler (@JoeMarler) November 12, 2015
3. Destroying GEORGE NORTH
4. Burning twitter critic
In a reply to the appearance of Joe Marler on a BBC 5 Live show, a Tweeter observed that he thought the prop was a “absolute try hard weapon……….him not you obviously”.
Problem was that Marler was tagged in the Tweet and duly decided to reply.
“Very true mate. I try very hard……. to have regular vaginal intercourse with your mum, but she insists on having it in her arsehole every time! Mental.
5. Interrupting press conference
“Who are you talking to?”
@JoeMarler interrupts a very empty @EnglandRugby news conference. pic.twitter.com/C3QsWtJ9iy
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) August 13, 2019