I’m drawn to characters in sport. I like someone with a bit of something extra, be it humour, grit, positivity, etc.
I like Daniel Riccardo because he’s always so smiley and happy, and genuinely so; Kimi Raikkonen because he’s reserved in public and an absolute party animal in private plus his minimal comments to the media make me laugh; Guy Martin because he’s so driven and determined yet incredibly sharp despite coming across sometimes completely the opposite; Valentino Rossi because he’s hero-worshipped in Italy and the world over for his funny, happy personality let alone his skill and being the best Moto GP racer to go down in history and one thing all of these characters have in common is that this is them, not an act. They are who they show themselves to be; no pretence, no playing at Mr Nice Guy, no “Don’t you know who I am?” lines and fake persona.
Add to this list Joe Marler.
He’s a Rugby Union loosehead who doesn’t give a damn. He’s searingly honest but crucially, he’s so funny! This is immediately obvious from the very start of his autobiography.
His story doesn’t start with his lifelong burning ambition to be a world class sportsman. Sure, he had his own heroes in rugby growing up, but admits he didn’t exactly choose rugby but rugby chose him. The sport fits his build, power and his attitude.
This isn’t a winning against the odds book, a inspirational rags to riches story, an underdog winning medals tale of battling to victory. This is just Joe Marler. He is who he his and he undoubtedly received many calls from fellow players after publication asking why on earth he put something really embarrassing about them in. But it’s not done to wind them up (well, perhaps it is) but it’s just the person he is. He has a great story to tell and so he tells it; drunken shenanigans, hilarious nicknames explained, rule-breaking naughtiness and genital tickling included!
Joe tells of his own unruly and embarrassing moments too plus talks openly about his mental health.
Joe is like an old-school pre-professional rugby player. He plays hard, drinks hard, isn’t likely to be found in the gym too much and only wants to play when he has the passion for it. It’s not about money or fame. He literally doesn’t know what else he could have done in life - rugby slotted in and fitted. End of.
Somehow, without sounding his own trumpet, Joe Marler has played for premiership team Harlequins, been selected for the British Lions and Barbarians and represented England in the Six Nations and the RFU World Cups in England and Japan.
The fat kid known as Psycho due to his readiness with his fists has done good!
If you want a laugh-out-loud book with a few hilarious tales of tours and an insight into some things fellow professionals and coaches may not have admitted to, you won’t be disappointed!