Joe Marler
England prop Joe Marler has been banned for 2 matches and fined £ 20 000.00 by World Rugby for calling Wales forward Samson Lee “Gypsy boy”.
Marler, 25, had avoided punishment by The RBS 6 Nations organisers, but World Rugby conducted its own investigation.
He made the comment in England’s RBS 6 Nations win over Wales in March and had an apology accepted by prop Samson.
The Rugby Football Union said Marler would not appeal against the decision and considered the matter closed.
World Rugby, the sport’s global governing body, said it had “Exercised its right to take appropriate action before an independent judicial committee in the absence of such a process by Six Nations Rugby in accordance with the regulations”.
At the time, RBS 6 Nations Rugby said it was “aware of the seriousness of Mr Marler’s comment and does not in anyway condone what was said” but accepted it was said “in the heat of the moment”.
Harlequins forward Marler, whose fine will be donated to an equality charity in the UK, admitted to a misconduct charge at a disciplinary hearing in London on Tuesday.
He will miss Quins’ Challenge Cup quarterfinal against London Irish on Saturday and next weekend’s Premiership trip to leaders Saracens.
Marler was free to play in England’s final game of the RBS 6 Nations – starting on the bench in a Grand Slam-clinching 31 / 21 victory over France in Paris – after competition organisers decided the incident did not require punishment.
The Welsh Rugby Union issued its own statement at the time, saying it was disappointed with the Six Nations’ decision not to punish Marler.
England head coach Eddie Jones reprimanded Marler after the incident, but Scarlets prop Lee, who is from the Traveller community, dismissed it as “banter”.
Wales head coach Warren Gatland also described the comment as “banter”, but he later apologised for his remark.
Campaigners from the Traveller community – and figures inside the sport – had been critical of Marler for making the comment and called for a ban.
bbc
This is absolute BOLLOKS.
By all accounts the Welsh PLAYERS use Gypsy Boy as his freeking nickname in any case.
Whilst there may well have been grounds for some sanction, it should have been handled by ONE organisation.
Now WR have reacted to the WRU’s “indignation” and sent out the lynch mob, despite Lee’s acceptance of it being done almost “in the spirit of the game”.
It is just typical of the amateur way in which the IRB / WR conduct themselves IMO. Very little backbone, and what little they have has osteoporosis!
I’m damn sure that the English players suffer far worse insults than that from all of the Celts.
In any case the Taffy Bastid IS a Gypsey.
Maybe he should be referred to as “thieving Pikey Taffy Bastid”? After all, “thieving Pikey” is what 90% of Britons refer to the “travelling community” as.