Clown prince Joe Marler plays it seriously now

Joe Marler can be a clown – one of the most playful characters in the England camp.
Full of pranks and one-liners, all topped by that remarkable mohican haircut – but like any good comedian he has learnt to understand his audience.
Put a journalist and a camera in front of him and the Harlequins loosehead performs at his best with jokey one word answers …the 24-year-old can be hard to follow if you’re not prepared.
When he broke through the Quins’ first team he often struggled to rein in his enthusiasm and, although he was quickly tipped as a future England international, his discipline on the field got in the way.
In April 2011, he was red-carded for fighting with Leicester‘s Marcos Ayerza and banned for two weeks. In the opening round of the following season he picked up a three-week ban, reduced to two after appeal, for striking a London Irish player.
But while others in the England camp such as Manu Tuilagi, Dylan Hartley and Danny Cipriani seem to find it difficult to learn their lessons, Marler’s disciplinary record since is pristine and he recalls three events that helped him turn the corner.
“Everyone wants a laugh and a giggle but when it comes to game-day you’ve got a job to do,” he told The Rugby Paper.
“It’s not about being the class clown. You don’t win games being the class clown.
“I don’t think I’ve fully grown up but I go by the mantra ‘work hard play hard’. I enjoy my rugby as well as the off-field stuff.
“The main turning point was our second row Olly Kohn pulling me aside one day at Quins. He told me to stop being a d***head basically because I was letting the boys down. That’s what it comes down to in the end. You can’t put yourself before the team. Having my son Jasper 15 months ago also helped. I didn’t really want him growing up having his dad known a complete d***head. Just half of one will suffice.
“Being named captain at Quins was a big thing this season, too.  You see different ways of working in different roles and hopefully it stands me in good stead moving forward.
“Plus I get to do more media, too, which I obviously love!”
With his discipline sorted, Marler made his Test debut on the 2012 tour of South Africa and he’s been an integral part of Stuart Lancaster‘s squad since, collecting 31 caps to make him the most experienced loosehead in the England camp.
With two British Lions, Alex Corbisiero and Mako Vunipola, also on the roster, this is no mean feat and Marler started the last 12 matches in the No.1 shirt.
But the Quins’ youngster is not naive and he knows nothing is set in stone ahead of the World Cup as he looks to recover from shoulder surgery in time for the warm-up games in August.
He added: “I’m very disappointed not to have finished the season but it got to the point where I could not carry on and my shoulder needed to get sorted. It’s all done now and I’m on track with the recovery.
“I don’t think I’m the most experienced loosehead in the squad and I definitely don’t think the shirt is mine to lose. I’ve been really fortunate to have as many caps as I have with guys like Corbs and Mako in my position.
“Corbs being injured gave me my opportunity but you take caps any way they come. He’s back fit now. Mako has been in good form with Saracens and you’ve got guys like Matt Mullan and Alex Waller knocking on the door.
“In the final 31-man squad, the coaches will probably take five props but whether they’ll take three tightheads or three loosehead we’ll have to see.  The competition is red hot.”
NICK VERDIER
*Joe Marler was speaking at Dove Men+Care’s launch as Official Tournament Supplier of Rugby World Cup. For your chance to win tickets #scrumtogether on @dovemen.