Joe Marler to lead talks with RFU and clubs on England players’ welfare
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Joe Marler has revealed he has been appointed to lead discussions with the Rugby Football Union and the Premiership clubs over the welfare of England players, claiming that Test stars were previously “not looked after”. Marler, who brought an end to his England career during the autumn internationals before retiring for good in November, has been appointed to a new role as performance director for Team England Rugby.
Much of Marler’s focus will be on players exceeding the maximum game time – reduced to 30 match involvements as part of the Professional Game Partnership which came into effect this season. With the British & Irish Lions tour of Australia taking place this summer, a host of England players are on course to exceed the limit with Marler expressing concern that “so many” will require exemptions to continue playing. It will be up to Marler to negotiate those exemptions and ensure players receive adequate rest further down the line.
Suggesting there would be players who “would be too scared to speak to the DoRs [directors of rugby]”, Marler told the For The Love of Rugby podcast he was building relationships with Premiership clubs to “take the pressure away from players” and explained how he had already discussed Nick Isiekwe’s game time with Saracens’ director of rugby, Mark McCall.
“The boys needed to be looked after for a long period of time,” he said. “We weren’t looked after with our previous representation. So we went, right, we’re setting this Team England Rugby up. We’re moving away from the previous representation. And we are going to take control of it.
