The wife of former England rugby international Joe Marler did not hold back in her criticism after one of his on-field verbal outbursts, branding him an 'idiot' and a 'moron'.
Wife's Fury Over On-Pitch Insult
Daisy Marler's anger was directed at her husband following an incident where the ex-Harlequins prop made an unsavoury comment about the mother of Bristol Bears flanker Jake Heenan during a match. The 35-year-old, known for his controversial antics, used a derogatory term to describe Heenan's mother, unaware she was battling cancer in hospital at the time.
Recounting the fallout on his podcast, Marler revealed his wife's blunt reaction. 'She turned round to me after and she was like, 'f***ing hell, you're an idiot, aren't you? You're just a moron',' he said. Marler admitted he expected her defence, but instead received a stern lecture on his behaviour.
Ban and Apology for Verbal Blunder
The ill-judged sledging, which occurred in 2022 just before his retirement in November of that year, resulted in a six-week ban, with four weeks suspended. The 2017 British and Irish Lion swiftly issued a public apology on his 'Things People Do' podcast.
'I've f***ed it all up again,' Marler confessed. 'I'm really sorry to Jake Heenan and his family, the guy I insulted or tried to insult, and also to my team-mates, and to the club.' He acknowledged the repetitive nature of his controversies, questioning when apologies would no longer suffice.
A History of Controversy and New Media Career
This was not Marler's first brush with disciplinary action for verbal offences. In the 2016 Six Nations, he was caught on the referee's microphone calling Welsh prop Samson Lee a 'gypsy boy', a comment for which he received a two-match ban and was ordered to donate £20,000 to charity.
Now retired from rugby, Marler is forging a media career. He recently featured on Celebrity Traitors and is set to appear on the Christmas edition of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. He has, however, ruled out future appearances on shows like Strictly Come Dancing and I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here.
As he becomes a more familiar face on mainstream television, the outspoken star will be hoping to avoid the kind of verbal blunders that have previously landed him in hot water with officials, opponents, and his own family.
