Joe Marler left the England camp preparing for the autumn internationals opener, against the All Blacks on Saturday, for personal reasons at the start of the week before provoking a fierce backlash in New Zealand by calling for the haka to be scrapped.
The Guardian understands that Marler arrived at England’s training base in Bagshot on Sunday night but informed the head coach, Steve Borthwick, and a core group of senior players of his decision to leave. He did so before Borthwick revealed his team to face New Zealand, and Marler’s motivations are not thought to be due to selection. Borthwick is said to be sympathetic towards Marler’s decision.
Marler has 95 England caps and it is now unclear if he will add to them. The 34-year-old loosehead prop will not take any further part in training this week and is taking a “day-to-day” approach having returned home to his wife, Daisy, and four children. It is yet to be determined if he plays any further part in England’s autumn campaign with matches against Australia, South Africa and Japan to follow the All Blacks fixture.
England are not calling up a replacement with Ellis Genge starting at loosehead prop and Marler’s Harlequins teammate Fin Baxter providing cover from the bench, but it is understood Borthwick is prepared to do so when the squad reconvenes on Sunday after the All Blacks match.
Marler has spoken candidly in the past about his struggles with spending long spells in camp away from his family. He pulled out of a tour to Australia in 2016 and officially retired from international duty in 2018 before reversing that decision to play in the 2019 World Cup.
On Tuesday, having already left camp, and four days before England face the All Blacks, Marler wrote on social media that “the haka is ridiculous, it needs binning”. In another post, referencing the Siva Tau war dance before the rugby league Test between England and Samoa last Sunday, he said: “It’s only any good when teams actually front it with some sort of reply. Like the [rugby] league boys did last week.”
Marler temporarily deactivated his account on X before returning to add: “Context is everything. Just having a bit of fun trying to spark interest in a mega rugby fixture. Some wild responses. Big Love x.” He went on to say: “Also needed to satisfy my narcissism.”
His provocative criticism of the haka has led to a fierce reaction in New Zealand. The politician David Seymour, who leads the ACT party, said: “I love the haka. It wouldn’t be the All Blacks if they didn’t do the haka. Who is this Joe Marler guy, I’ve never heard of him? Well, in my experience I have met a few props with very high IQ, but very few of them. So it could be something in that area.”
Marler has a history of controversy over the haka: at the 2019 World Cup the Guardian revealed that England had been fined for crossing the halfway line before the semi-final win against the All Blacks. World Rugby fined England £2,000 for breaching tournament rules “relating to cultural challenges”.
Helmut Modlik, chief executive of the Māori community group Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira, told Stuff on Wednesday: “For those who don’t know about the haka, who might speak ill of those cultural icons, it would be coming from a place of ignorance and would be ill-judged. Remember, while it is part of a sporting spectacle, the haka is a cultural taonga, treasure, gifted to NZRU to perform respectfully, which they do now.”
Marler last appeared for England on the summer tour of Japan and New Zealand but sustained a broken foot early in the first Test against the All Blacks. He has battled back to fitness and made his first appearance of the season off the bench against Saracens this month while he took part in the warm-weather training camp in Girona last week.
He was convinced by Borthwick to make himself available for the World Cup last year, having previously not appeared for England since the 2022 Six Nations, but when discussing his decision to return to the international fold it was clear that he took some convincing.
Genge missed the summer tour of Japan and New Zealand with a calf injury but has impressed for Bristol this season while Baxter has continued his upward trajectory and earlier this season cited Marler’s mentoring as a key part in his development.
Asked about his loosehead options this week, Borthwick said: “It’s another position where we have a lot of quality there. I’m delighted Ellis is back. He’s a world-class player and has been in excellent condition. He wanted to be in Japan and New Zealand during the summer, it’s been an enforced break and he’s used it really well. Fin Baxter, his emergence through last season and into the Test arena in the summer, and watching what he’s done for his club side this season – I think you would agree he is playing really well. I’m looking forward to seeing both of those guys go this weekend.”
