The England prop on the psychiatric help that transformed his life, and why Eddie Jones is the most supportive coach he has known
On a hushed morning in East Sussex, Joe Marler looks around the kitchen which he smashed up in misery 18 months ago. Marler is one of the most engaging men in rugby but in March 2019, eight months before he played on anti-depressants in the World Cup final, the England prop succumbed to the darkness he had struggled with for years. Even his wife, Daisy, had no idea Marler was so depressed he often cried while driving to training at Harlequins.
For two hours today Marler has been warm and engaging, whether mimicking my South African accent with deadly accuracy or telling me riotous anecdotes about the surreal world of a rugby dressing room. Now, as we reach the crux of his story, it becomes clear that his kitchen breakdown was the catalyst which led to the psychiatric help that transformed his life.
