JOE MARLER added to his crime sheet this week by using obscene language to describe the former Australia coach Bob Dywer on Twitter.
The Harlequins prop has shown a remarkable ability for landing in hot water since unwisely labelling Welsh counterpart Samson Lee as a "gypsy boy" landed him a two-match ban earlier this year.
Not that too many Australian pundits should be taking offence at having the w-word launched in their direction given the amount of vitriol England’s rugby players have had so far on the tour down under.
A trailer featuring a host of former Wallabies players wrote off the Grand Slam champions ahead of the first Test while, in the wake of England’s 39-28 first Test win, head coach Eddie Jones declined to answer a question by former Australia flanker Steve Hoiles rather bizarrely laced with sexual innuendo.
Jones is better placed to understand the motives of his home country’s press better than most and he is in no doubt that, just as it was when Dwyer pointed the finger at Marler before last autumn’s World Cup clash, his comments claiming Dan Cole scrummaged illegally in Brisbane were a challenge to Craig Joubert, referee of this weekend’s second Test in Melbourne.
Cue the Twitter riposte from Marler, who elected not to join the tour following his disciplinary issues towards the end of last season, which included another fortnight break for kicking Grenoble hooker Arnaud Hegu.
While it may be ill-advised, I would guess Jones won’t take too much exception to the 25-year-old’s words because there is little doubt Australia’s taunts are only serving to make the tourists even more determined to secure a first series win down under.
Certainly that has been the effect on Chris Robshaw of that naughty little video trailer which focuses in on his misery after England’s World Cup exit last autumn.
“I’ve seen the promo. It hurts a thing like that,” he said. “For us it’s just been used as motivation.”
The best way to silence the Aussies – long after Marler’s ill-advised tweet is forgotten – would be to register an altogether different W this weekend. As Robshaw said: "In our industry it’s all about winning."
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