‘It was a chore’ – England prop Joe Marler in dig at former boss Eddie Jones

Joe Marler has remarked that being in the England camp is a much more enjoyable place to be under current boss Steve Borthwick.

In a thinly veiled dig at ex-head coach Eddie Jones, the loosehead believes that the players are “encouraged to be themselves” with Borthwick at the helm.

The 43-year-old replaced Jones in late 2022 following a dreadful year which included a poor home loss to Argentina.

Difficult 2023

It has not exactly been smooth sailing for the new head honcho, but the Red Rose did get their Rugby World Cup campaign off to an ideal start by overcoming Los Pumas in their first match.

Before that game, Borthwick was under significant pressure following a shock 30-22 defeat to Fiji in their final World Cup warm-up, but S&C guru Aled Walters revealed earlier this week they had a heavy training block during those matches.

Following the result against Argentina, there is more positivity surrounding English rugby and Marler believes that the current regime has played a big part in that.

“Having been out of the previous environment for 18 months and then coming back into Steve’s environment and experiencing it for the first time in a World Cup camp and now here, there has been a huge difference in terms of how a lot of the group have felt, who they can be and how they can behave,” he said.

“It’s that’s had a massive effect on how the players are approaching training and how they are enjoying themselves both on and off the pitch.

“For me, I just try my hardest to encourage that environment to keep that consistent because it does need work. It does not just happen.

“Having boys who are comfortable being themselves and who are encouraged to be themselves has to be a good thing because you then enjoy the work space you’re in.”

Retirement and return

Marler was a key part of the team under Jones, helping them to successive Six Nations titles in 2016 and 2017, but he suddenly retired in 2018.

The prop cited personal reasons and later revealed his struggles with mental health, before he returned for the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

Since then, the loosehead has been in and out of the squad, but his call-up ahead of the 2023 global tournament was his first since the 2022 Six Nations.

“There have been times in the past when I have, not feared coming, but it has been a chore. You don’t want that feeling about playing for England,” Marler added.

“I’ve spoken about my troubles with leaving home and the stuff I’ve struggled with around my mental health. I’m not putting my family through the wringer now unless I’m fully committed to something and wanting to be here.”

READ MORE: Tom Curry cops ban after red card in England’s Rugby World Cup opener