Warren Gatland blasts disciplinary chiefs and says Joe Marler slur would have been solved with 'fists and stuff' 20 years ago
- Warren Gatland says 'political correctness' police are out to get Joe Marler
- Marler awaits the consequences of his 'gipsy boy' slur at Samson Lee
- Wales boss says incident would have been solved with fists 20 years ago
- Tomas Francis was banned for eight weeks for eye-gouging Dan Cole
Wales coach Warren Gatland has defended England prop Joe Marler as he faces a ban for calling Samson Lee a 'gipsy boy'.
Marler looks set to be ruled out of England's Six Nations Grand Slam showdown against France in Paris on Saturday, with disciplinary chiefs investigating both his forearm smash on Rob Evans and his offensive jibe at Lee in England's victory over the Welsh at Twickenham at the weekend.
However, Gatland has played down the second incident as 'a bit of banter', claiming the 'political correctness' police are out to get Marler .
Joe Marler (C) clashes with Wales' prop Samson Lee after calling the latter a 'gipsy boy' on Saturday
Wales head coach Warren Gatland believes the 'political correctness' police are out to get Marler
The Harlequin is facing the threat of two substantial bans ahead of Saturday's Grand Slam showdown against France with disciplinary chiefs assessing the Evans incident before investigating the discriminatory jibe, which the straight-talking Wales coach played down as 'a bit of banter'.
'Fifteen or 20 years ago, those things were sorted out with fists and stuff,' said Gatland. 'Joe said to him at half-time it was just a bit of fun and Samson has no issue. Let's put it to bed. I was more concerned by the forearm. He has been cited for that and we'll see what the outcome is.
'In every aspect of life, people get so PC and just make massive issues about things. In modern sport, players have to be aware that there are microphones everywhere and act accordingly, given the possibility that comments are going to be picked up on the field.'
Marler faces a two-week ban for use of a forearm, while his gipsy insult could add a minimum of four weeks
Marler faces a ban of two weeks for use of the forearm, while the gipsy insult could add a minimum of four weeks to a potential suspension.
Front-row forwards provided the citing commissioner with a backlog of cases following Saturday's RBS 6 Nations Test at Twickenham.
Tomas Francis was on Tuesday banned for eight weeks for eye-gouging Dan Cole but, speaking before the verdict was reached, Gatland defended the Wales prop's character.
'Everything looks so different in slow motion,' said Gatland. 'When you play it in real time, the contact of the hand with the eye is a third of a second - that's the contact time. It doesn't look to me as though he's gone for someone.
'He's closed his eyes and he's trying to clear George Kruis, who is over the top of Dan Cole. Normally, if you're going for the eyes, it's a little more than a third of a second to potentially do some damage. You've got to put your fingers in there and hold them there.'
Tomas Francis was banned for eight weeks for eye-gouging Dan Cole but Gatland has defended the prop
Cole (centre) reacts after his eye was hit but Gatland said 'Everything looks so different in slow motion'
Francis was initially named on the bench to face Italy on Saturday but was subsequently replaced by Aaron Jarvis.
Wales are also without influential lock Alun Wyn Jones, who faces six weeks on the sidelines with a foot injury, and skipper Sam Warburton. Dan Lydiate will take over the captaincy.
The Azzurri have never won in Cardiff but, with another Wooden Spoon looming, Gatland does not think promotion and relegation an immediate solution.
'We've got to support their development and sometimes it doesn't happen overnight,' said Gatland. 'It can take a generation or two.
'For the development of the game in Europe, maybe there is an opportunity for the top team of the second tier to play the bottom team of the Six Nations in a play-off.
'It shouldn't just be a straight one-up, one-down. I think the team coming up has definitely got to be better than the team they are replacing. But it's something that's potentially there for the future.'
- Crazy: Man uses rocket launcher to remove his socks
- Floyd Mayweather and Rmarni Eliss hit the club in Miami
- Incredible drone footage shows daredevils jump off cliff
- Dortmund players and fans in fitting tribute to dead fan
- Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn shows off her intensive workout
- Claudio Ranieri claims he hasn't looked at the league table
- Deflated Arsene Wenger reacts to Arsenal's FA Cup exit
- Rafa Benitez insists he can keep Newcastle up despite defeat
- Marko Arnautovic has a kick about in garden with his brother
- Hilarious moment Kompany blasts the ball on Aguero's face
- Shocking footage of Jews in Auschwitz concentration camp
- Leicester manager urges team to remain calm as they top...
- Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Maxwell: football’s greatest...
- Arsene Wenger could walk if Arsenal fans continue to...
- Man City 0-0 Dynamo Kiev (3-1 agg) UEFA Champions League...
- Floyd Mayweather enjoys night out in Miami with New Look...
- Manchester United should sign Paul Pogba, Luka Modric and...
- Leicester 1-0 Newcastle: Shinji Okazaki's acrobatic strike...
- Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger could be managing his last game...
- Barcelona star Dani Alves: 'I'm no Lionel Messi but I am in...
- Arsenal and Manchester City are out of the title race......
- Conor McGregor takes some downtime with his girlfriend after...
- Radamel Falcao: Manchester United was complicated... they...
- Chris Evert shocked at Maria Sharapova positive test but...