Joe Marler Could Be In Trouble Again

Joe Marler will face an anxious wait to see whether he will be hit with another disciplinary hearing after appearing to kick Grenoble hooker Arnaud Heguy in the head.

Harlequins defeated Grenoble 30-6 at The Stoop on Friday night to reach the European Challenge Cup final, but that three-try win was overshadowed by England prop Marler.

The 25-year-old was in his first game back after his two-match ban for the “Gypsy boy” slur against Samson Lee in the Six Nations, but found himself in hot water again thanks to the 26th-minute tussle with Heguy.

European bosses have 48 hours from the end of the match to bring a citing against Marler, and any ban could leave him a doubt for England’s June tour to Australia.

“Any test for a citing has to pass the red card test, and this does not pass that test,” said Harlequins boss Conor O’Shea.

“Should he do it? No. Is it a red card? No. It’s disappointing to have to talk about it because I thought his scrummaging was excellent.

“But he is under the microscope.

“Things happen, we never condone it but if that is a red card there’s a heck of a lot of things that happen on the pitch that are worse.”

Citing commissioner Iain Goodall will now determine whether Marler should face a disciplinary hearing for the incident.