Latest news with #JoeMarler
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Marler explains love for padel in rugby retirement
Joe Marler says padel has been the "perfect sport" for him since retiring from rugby [Robin Grey / BBC] Former England rugby union star Joe Marler has described his new found love for the racket sport padel since retiring last year. After calling time on his playing career in November 2024, the former Harlequins prop said he picked it up during the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Advertisement Marler, from Heathfield in East Sussex, claimed he was "no good" at it but wanted to "spread the padel gospel" in retirement. Speaking during a celebrity tournament, he said: "There's that one point, that one rally that you get and you feel good at it. I chase that moment." He said: "People think I'm really good, they book me to spread the Padel gospel, then they realise I'm not good at it!" Padel tennis is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, thanks to its basic skill level and social nature. Marler said: "It's going crazy, everyone and everywhere is padel mad. It's great for me!" Advertisement He now takes part in the Pro Am Padel Tour, a tournament which sees celebrities and professional padel players team together. His team, including former Aston Villa striker Gabby Agbonlahor, came up against others including comedian Jason Manford, with the tour also featuring players like Great Britain number one padel player Aimee Gibson. The Traitors Team Manford emerged victorious and secured a £10,000 contribution to the Captain's Fund, a new charitable initiative where each captain selects a charity to support. Manford added: "Joe is good actually, for a big man he's got some delicate shots, he's a good laugh. I'm sure he's storming around now we've beaten him." Advertisement As England Rugby's player welfare manager, Marler said his life has not slowed down since finishing his playing career. "It doesn't feel like retirement, I'm so busy. I'm trying my hand at several things and hoping something sticks," he said. He has also been announced as part of the line-up for the celebrity version of hit BBC One show The Traitors, which airs this autumn. Marler will appear alongside the likes of comedians Stephen Fry and Alan Carr, chat show host Jonathan Ross and Olympic diver Tom Daley. Follow BBC Sussex on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@ or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. More on this story Related internet links
BBC News
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Ex-England and Harlequins prop Joe Marler joins Pro Am Padel Tour
Former England rugby union star Joe Marler has described his new found love for the racket sport padel since retiring last calling time on his playing career in November 2024, the former Harlequins prop said he picked it up during the 2023 Rugby World from Heathfield in East Sussex, claimed he was "no good" at it but wanted to "spread the padel gospel" in during a celebrity tournament, he said: "There's that one point, that one rally that you get and you feel good at it. I chase that moment." He said: "People think I'm really good, they book me to spread the Padel gospel, then they realise I'm not good at it!"Padel tennis is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, thanks to its basic skill level and social said: "It's going crazy, everyone and everywhere is padel mad. It's great for me!"He now takes part in the Pro Am Padel Tour, a tournament which sees celebrities and professional padel players team team, including former Aston Villa striker Gabby Agbonlahor, came up against others including comedian Jason Manford, with the tour also featuring players like Great Britain number one padel player Aimee Gibson. The Traitors Team Manford emerged victorious and secured a £10,000 contribution to the Captain's Fund, a new charitable initiative where each captain selects a charity to added: "Joe is good actually, for a big man he's got some delicate shots, he's a good laugh. I'm sure he's storming around now we've beaten him."As England Rugby's player welfare manager, Marler said his life has not slowed down since finishing his playing career."It doesn't feel like retirement, I'm so busy. I'm trying my hand at several things and hoping something sticks," he has also been announced as part of the line-up for the celebrity version of hit BBC One show The Traitors, which airs this will appear alongside the likes of comedians Stephen Fry and Alan Carr, chat show host Jonathan Ross and Olympic diver Tom Daley.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
New tennis facility to open with special guest
A new sports facility is set to open its doors to the public. Padel Project UK (PPUK), a leading padel tennis operator, has announced the launch of a four-court outdoor padel complex at Worthing Rugby Football Club in Angmering. The launch event will take place on June 6 from 5pm to 8.30pm. Adam Holman, club manager at PPUK Worthing, said: "I'm thrilled to be launching the PPUK Worthing club and look forward to welcoming everyone to our launch day on June 6. "I can't wait to help players of every age and ability step on court and discover just how much fun padel is, and just how easy it is to pick up." The new venue has four floodlit panoramic courts and on-site racket hire. The facility is designed for everyone, from complete beginners to experienced players. Former England rugby player and Worthing RFC alumnus Joe Marler will cut the ribbon at 6pm. He will be joined by PPUK chief executive Tim Foster and club manager Adam Holman for a short welcome. The event will have an exhibition match with PPUK's professional coaching team, introductory sessions, coached games with prizes, music, refreshments and tours of the new courts. Drinks will also be available from the bar. C oaching sessions cost £5 and can be reserved through the Playtomic app. Mr Foster said: "We are incredibly excited to bring this state-of-the-art padel facility to Worthing. "Our goal is to build a fun, inclusive and active padel community here. "This club is another step toward making padel a mainstream sport across the UK, and we can't wait to see the Worthing community embrace the game." Following the launch, PPUK will offer discounted introductory sessions for a limited time. Membership at the Worthing club is free. Residents can join the WhatsApp community via to receive news, offers and session details. Barny Hall, chairman of Worthing RFC, said: "We're delighted to add padel to our offering and give our members and the wider Worthing community something new to enjoy. "Rugby and padel share the same spirit of camaraderie, so seeing the two worlds cross over on our grounds is fantastic."
Wales Online
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Wales legend broke news of mother's death to Joe Marler and his reaction says it all
Wales legend broke news of mother's death to Joe Marler and his reaction says it all 'I don't know if I'm going to get emotional here,' began legendary prop Adam Jones. Ospreys legend Adam Jones had just received the awful news when Joe Marler asked if there was anything he could do to help. (Image: THE OVERLAP RUGBY ) Wales icon Adam Jones received the news of his mother's death before Joe Marler managed to lighten the mood with an unintentional X-rated moment. The newly-appointed Wales scrum coach appeared as a guest on the latest edition of The Overlap's Stick To Rugby podcast, where he was interviewed by Tom Shanklin, Scott Quinnell, Lawrence Dallaglio and Katy Daley-McLean. Dallaglio asked Jones about his relationship with the fan favourite former England international, and the Welshman said he "got on well" with Marler before telling a peculiar, bittersweet tale that encapsulated what he was like as a friend. "If you're friends with him, he is the best bloke," began Jones. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. "I don't know if I'm going to get emotional here, but we were in San Francisco with Quins on a pre-season camp. We had been to Philadelphia the year before, San Francisco the next year, the furthest we went with the Ospreys was Tenby or something like that. So, with Quins it was already a different level. "We had a good night out, day off the next day. Then I get a phone call from my wife at three o'clock in the morning saying that my mother has died. She fell down the stairs. You are obviously devastated. I come back into the room and I'm crying my eyes out. Article continues below "I'm sat at the end of the bed and Joe is my roommate. And he's like: 'Bomb, Bomb, what has happened?' "'My mam has died, she has fallen down the stairs.' He rushes over: 'What can I do, what can I do?' "I'm sat at the end of the bed, and I don't know whether he did this on purpose, I looked up and all I could see was his genitals in my face. He looks at me and says: 'Shall I put some shorts on?'" Dallaglio said: "That'd be a good thing to do!" "It lightened the mood straight away," continued Jones. "And then he took me to Denny's and we spent the next two hours there reminiscing and eating. "When he cares about you, he is the best bloke. He can be a nightmare, when he doesn't care he can be a pain. "I'll always remember that day when he was there for me, I don't think he was joking! But it happened to be quite amusing having a package in my face, shall we say?" Jones has just been revealed as part of Wales' coaching staff for the upcoming tour of Japan. Of course, he was on board during the Six Nations but had returned to Harlequins following the end of the tournament. Article continues below Joining him in the Far East will be interim head coach Matt Sherratt, Gethin Jenkins, T Rhys Thomas and Danny Wilson.
Telegraph
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Six Nations to begin on a Thursday because of Winter Olympics
The 2026 Six Nations will kick off on a Thursday night for the first time as champions France host Ireland while there will only be one fallow week in the Championship. Moving such a high profile fixture outside of a weekend slot will present challenges for travelling supporters and will upset traditionalists. However, the competition organisers and broadcasters wanted to avoid a clash with the Winter Olympics opening ceremony on the Friday night. The Thursday night match also gives the defending champions the opportunity to embrace another evening kick-off after the success of their spectacular light shows against Wales this year and Ireland in 2024. Ireland will also be presented with an opportunity to immediately avenge their 42-27 defeat in Dublin to Les Bleus which denied them a third successive Six Nations title. That fixture on February 5 is followed by Italy hosting Scotland in Rome and England facing Wales at Twickenham in the more conventional Saturday afternoon slot on February 7. There follow two successive rounds of competition with the Six Nations losing one of its two fallow weeks, which is likely to raise player welfare concerns. In 2017, former England prop Joe Marler, who now represents England players as the performance director of Team England, described the loss of a rest week as 'ridiculous'. 'If we lost a rest week – I think it's ridiculous,' Marler said. 'They can slap me on the wrist for that all they want but it's such a physical tournament, the game itself is getting more and more physical every week.' It is also likely to adversely affect countries with smaller playing pools such as Wales and Italy. However, the loss of a Six Nations fallow week will be counterbalanced by expanding the autumn international window to four weeks to accommodate the start of the Nations Championship. Competition organisers insist further rest periods will be built into players' schedules as part of a collaboration between leagues, unions and clubs over the new global calendar. How that plays out in practice remains to be seen. In the second round of matches starting on Valentine's Day, Ireland host Italy and England travel to Edinburgh to face Scotland, who lost the Calcutta Cup for the first time in six years after their 16-15 loss at Twickenham. On Sunday, France will head to Cardiff to play Wales. The following week England host Andy Farrell's Ireland and Wales face Scotland on Feb 21 while France will play Italy the after, which is expected to be in Paris, although the French union are still seeking an agreement to continue to play at the Stade de France. After the rest week, Ireland get a Friday night host slot against Wales on March 6 followed by Scotland v France and Italy v England on March 7. Then comes the self-styled 'Super Saturday' on March 14 as Ireland host Scotland, Italy travel to Wales and Steve Borthwick's England head to Paris to face France in the final match. England's last win over France came in 2016 when they sealed the Grand Slam.
