Former England prop Joe Marler has opened up about his unconventional approach to rugby, his post-retirement career, and his recent appearance on The Celebrity Traitors. Speaking about his playing days, Marler admitted he 'winged it' throughout his 17-year career and continues to do so in his post-rugby life.
Marler, who now works as a performance director for Team England Rugby, reflected on his playing style, describing himself as a 'disrupter' who excelled at making opponents perform poorly. 'I was half-decent at what I did, but I was world-class at making other people bad at it,' he said, adding that he was 'too lazy to get any better' and knew his limits.
The 34-year-old also discussed his near-win on The Celebrity Traitors, attributing his success to being largely unknown by fellow contestants. 'Most of them didn't know who I was, so they semi-forgot I was there,' he explained. Marler revealed a memorable off-screen conversation between singer Cat Burns and actor Stephen Fry about LGBTQ slang and role-play names, which he found 'brilliant' and educational.
Marler expressed concern for modern players, urging them to gain perspective and avoid wasting energy on uncontrollable factors. 'I just wish I'd had some perspective earlier on in my England career,' he said. 'When you're in it, the rugby world feels like the biggest thing in the world... then when you're out of it, you realise.'
