Six Nations 2016: England's Joe Marler cleared for France match despite ‘gypsy boy’ jibe

Disciplinary panel decide against baning prop for remark aimed at Wales front-rower Samson Lee

England's Joe Marler (2-L) scuffles with Wales' Samson Lee during the Six Nations rugby match at Twickenham (EPA)

The long-running Joe Marler affair reached an unexpected conclusion when, after four days of soul-searching, the Six Nations hierarchy cleared the England prop to play in this weekend’s Grand Slam match against France in Paris. The full ramifications of this outcome were not immediately clear, but they could turn out to be significant.

Marler escaped punishment on two counts. A disciplinary panel decided against banning the Harlequins forward for striking the Wales prop Rob Evans with his forearm at Twickenham last weekend. Far more controversially, tournament officials opted not to take action over his “gypsy boy” jibe at another Red Dragon front-rower, Samson Lee, who has a family background in the travelling community.

Bizarrely, one of those most discomfited by the episode was the Wales head coach Warren Gatland, who was forced into a hasty clarification of his own comments relating to last Saturday’s fractious events. Gatland found himself in difficult waters after saying he had “no issue” with Marler’s comment, describing it as “a bit of banter” and adding that “it was just one of those things…that 15 or 20 years ago would have been sorted out with fists”.

Those views were the subject of a Welsh Rugby Union statement, in which the New Zealander apologised for any offence that might have been caused. “I don’t condone racism of any kind,” Gatland said. “My intention was to take the focus away from Samson, a private individual, and enable him and the rest of the squad to prepare for the final game of the Championship [against Italy in Cardiff in two days’ time].”

Even though Marler avoided sanction for the Evans incident – the tribunal decreed that while his action had warranted a citing, it had not been a red card offence and therefore did not merit a suspension – most observers assumed he would be banned for the comment aimed at Lee during a first-half kerfuffle between the rival packs. Verbal abuse of a player based on religion, race, colour, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation or otherwise carries a minimum ban of four weeks.

Championship officials took a different view. They said they had conducted a “thorough investigation” – they certainly gave themselves enough time to do so – and continued: “Six Nations Rugby is aware of the seriousness of Mr Marler’s comment and does not in any way condone what was said. We have considered the reports in detail and noted that, unprompted, he immediately apologised to Mr Lee at half-time.”

They were also influenced by the fact that Eddie Jones, the England head coach, had “reprimanded Mr Marler and reminded him of his responsibilities as an international rugby player” and accepted that the comment was made in the “heat of the moment”.

Reacting to the obvious leniency of the tournament bosses, who confirmed that no sanction would be imposed and that the matter was now closed, Marler issued a statement of his own. “I have accepted from the outset that I made the misguided remark to Samson,” he said. “As ever, we shook hands and exchanged smiles at the end of the game. I have been warned very clearly by Eddie Jones that comments like this are unacceptable. I will certainly conduct myself differently in future. I do not condone racism in any form, at any time…I deeply regret the incident and intend to reflect the behaviours of an England player going forward.”

If this is the end of the story as far as those directly involved are concerned, the wider game may feel otherwise. Various representatives of the gypsy community have indicated their deep concern over the incident and the sport is now in an awkward position, having shown itself willing to distinguish between insults based on circumstance and severity.

England would rather none of this had happened: the front-row contest is always a key element of the battle with France and uncertainty over the make-up of the team is unhelpful in the extreme.

They should now be at full strength, however: the new champions insisted that their captain, the Northampton hooker Dylan Hartley, will be fit to take his place at the heart of Grand Slam matters despite sitting out a chunk of training on Tuesday.