Joe Marler Suspended

The disciplinary hearing for Joe Marler, Harlequins, chaired by Gareth Graham sitting with Becky Essex and Leon Lloyd took place this afternoon, Friday 30 December.  Marler accepted a charge under RFU Rule 5.12 for conduct prejudicial to the game for comments made to a Bristol Bears player during a match on Tuesday 27 December.  

The panel chair, Gareth Graham said: “The player accepted that his conduct was prejudicial to the interests of the game.
 
"As has been said by previous rugby disciplinary panels, rugby’s core values are not empty words or slogans which can be signed up to and then ignored. They are not to be treated as useful bolt-ons dreamt up by a marketing team. They are integral to the game and are what make the game special.
 
"The insulting and offensive comments made by the player were wholly inappropriate; such comments should form no part of the modern game.
 
"This offence was charged as a breach of RFU Rule 5.12 and, as such, the panel was not bound by the sanctions table. The panel had regard to the entry points for breaches of Law 9.12 (acts of verbal abuse) and of Law 9.27 (acts contrary to good sportsmanship). The panel also had regard to the player’s poor disciplinary record (as an aggravating feature), and to the fact he had accepted the charge and had apologised to the Bristol player (as mitigating factors)."
 
In all the circumstances of the case, the panel concluded that a ban of six weeks was proportionate but that it was also appropriate to suspend part of that sanction. The panel found that an immediate ban of two weeks should be imposed and that the remaining four-week ban should be suspended until the end of the 2023/24 season (and may be activated should the player commit a similar offence).
 
The panel require the player to give a presentation to a local club or school, and to a Premiership academy, on the core values of the game.”