Marler admits to forgetting his children after knock to the head

Charismatic England prop Joe Marler has revealed that he once forgot the existence of his children after a blow to the head during a match. 

The incident occurred several years ago when Marler was knocked out cold after an attempted tackle. Upon regaining consciousness in the Harlequins physio room, the club kit man asked Marler whether his wife had brought the couples’ children with her to the game. 

“He said, ‘What about the kids?’ I went, ‘Pardon?’ [Then] I just paused and broke down … I had no recollection of having kids and it just really scared the life out of me,” Marler said. 

“It all came back together and it happens. Those concussions happen in rugby, it’s a contact sport. Since those moments I just ignore it and bury my head in the sand. But the more it comes out and the more apparent it becomes in the sport, the more boys are getting diagnosed with this stuff, it’s sad.” 

Marler was talking against the backdrop of former Wales captain Ryan Jones revealing that he has been diagnosed with early-onset dementia at the age of 41. 

Marler also said that his wife had put her foot down following another concussion incident last season. Marler had decided to continue training and playing without following the prescribed protocols but was met with stern opposition. 

 “She was like: ‘No, I’m not having it any more. If you get a head knock, you follow the right protocols and you tell someone, because it’s not about you anymore’.”