Joe Marler has accused Scotland of treating the Calcutta Cup like a World Cup final ahead of England’s clash at Twickenham tomorrow. The former prop, who has a checkered history with the Scots, has sent a pointed message to England’s fiercest rivals.
Marler has joked that Steve Borthwick’s current generation of England stars have nothing to do with Edward I’s ill-treatment of Scotland.
Writing in the Daily Mail, the 34-year-old said: “They turn up for the Calcutta Cup like it’s a World Cup final because they’ve hated the English forever, even though this generation of England players had nothing to do with Edward Longshanks pillaging their country in the 13th century.
“They shout ‘Send him home again’ with real venom during their anthem, although I’d like to know how much (South Africa-born) Duhan van der Merwe has really bought into the history of Anglo-Scottish wars.”
Marler’s 50th cap was England’s 61-21 thrashing of Scotland in 2017. It was their biggest-ever win over the Auld Enemy.
The Harlequins icon ripped into Jonny and Richie Gray at half-time, demanding them to turn up. He told them the match felt like a training session. The tables have since turned, with England beating Scotland just once since then.
Marler said of the 2017 win: “At half-time, on the walk into the changing rooms, I made a point of barging between the massive Gray brothers, Jonny and Richie. ‘Oi, lads, any chance of you lot turning up?’ I said. ‘It’s not a training run.’
“I sat down with my half-time Lucozade and questioned myself for a moment. ‘Oh no, have I just poked the bear?’ But we pumped them, right from the off, and it felt fantastic. It was our biggest win over the wee Jimmies and I’d have laughed you out of the room if you told me we’d only win one of the next seven against them.”
Marler blames former boss Eddie Jones for the downturn in form against the Scots, adding: “We were getting flogged during the week by Eddie Jones and we were going into games completely shattered.
“He hammered us and later that night we saw these videos of Finn Russell and Greig Laidlaw, steaming drunk, topless, ties around their head, singing Flower of Scotland.
“There’s a stereotype that Scotland would only ever get up for one game – usually England. They rolled over and let Ireland tickle their tummies last week but they will still come to Twickenham as favourites.”
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