Joe Marler has admitted he would love to be playing for England against Wales on Saturday but insists he has no regrets over his international retirement despite Mako Vunipola’s injury-enforced absence.
England head to Cardiff light on experience at loosehead prop after Vunipola was ruled out for the rest of the Six Nations with an ankle injury, leaving Eddie Jones to choose between Ben Moon and Ellis Genge, who have five Test starts between them. Marler revealed Jones has not been in contact about coming out of retirement and, while he did not completely close the door on doing so in the future, he said adding to his 59 England caps was “highly unlikely”. He did concede that England versus Wales was his favourite fixture to play in because of the hostility of the Welsh supporters.
“I haven’t got a single regret about that decision,” said the Harlequins prop. “There have been moments watching the games when I’ve thought: ‘I would love to be a part of that,’ but that’s the same as fans watching it. I would love to be a part of that but you make choices in your life. You make decisions in your life that you think are the best thing for you first and foremost. But also for the people around [me] and the choice I have made is the right choice for me and the right choice for the family.
“I’d happily go down to the Principality and get stuck in. I’d love to, that was always the one game I’d look forward to the most. I’m still looking forward to it. But my priorities have changed. I’d love to be out there playing that game, getting in the mix but that’s not my priority any more.”
Asked why it was his favourite fixture, Marler added: “It was the rivalry and there was always another level of … hatred is a strong word but it always felt like that from the Welsh fans towards us. That’s just an incredible atmosphere to be a part of and help fuel. Especially away, it’s a big game at Twickenham but away, and hopefully they’ll shut the roof this week because of that atmosphere.”
While Marler gave a ringing endorsement to both Moon and Genge, he acknowledged how much of a setback Vunipola’s injury is for England, predicting a commanding victory for Jones’s side if the Saracens prop was available. “He’s been phenomenal,” said Marler. “Pre-Mako getting injured I was like: ‘There’s no doubt about that game, they’ve got it.’ I would go as far as to say in an English and traditional arrogant way, by 15 points. But when Mako got injured and was out of that game you thought: ‘Hang on.’ Wales will look at that because he’s that big a cog in the team.
“But, like Eddie has said before, it gives the other boys an opportunity to grow because Mako is not going to be able to play all those World Cup games on the trot. It gives an opportunity to Ben Moon, to Gengey, to experience those sort of cauldrons, the high-pressure environment. It’ll be great to have that learning going into the World Cup.”