Joe Marler Takes Lead in Protecting England Rugby Players’ Welfare

The former prop has assumed the role of performance director to address concerns over excessive player workloads and enforce match limits.

Joe Marler, recently retired from rugby, has become the performance director for Team England Rugby, focusing on player welfare and workload management.
Marler is advocating for stricter adherence to the 30-match limit set for elite players, a threshold many are expected to exceed due to club, national, and British & Irish Lions commitments.
He has already engaged in discussions with club directors, such as Saracens’ Mark McCall, to negotiate rest periods for overworked players like Nick Isiekwe.
Marler’s role involves representing players in talks with the RFU, Premiership clubs, and other stakeholders, aiming to reduce pressure on players to self-advocate for rest.
Concerns have been raised about the toll of the upcoming Lions tour, with Marler pushing for adjustments, such as extended rest periods next season, to mitigate player fatigue.