Joe Marler: England prop opens up on concussion scare from years ago

England front-row Joe Marler admits he still has fears of concussion after an incident several years ago where he forgot he had children.

The 32-year-old was knocked out and only gained consciousness in the physio room, where the kit man asked where his family was, and the prop was unsure what he was talking about.

Marler recalls the moment when he could not remember his family and said it “scared the life” out of him.

“He said, ‘What about the kids?’. I went, ‘Pardon?’. And he said, ‘Has she brought the kids?’,” Marler told talkSPORT.

“I just paused and broke down and I had no recollection of having kids and it just really scared the life out of me.

“It all came back together and it happens. Those concussions happen in rugby, it’s a contact sport.

“Since those moments I just ignore it and bury my head in the sand, but the more it comes out and the more apparent it becomes in the sport, the more boys are getting diagnosed with this stuff, it’s sad.”

Marler recalling the events of his bad concussion is on the back of former Wales captain Ryan Jones revealing that he has early-onset dementia at the age of 41.

The doctors have labelled the case as one of the worst they have seen, and Jones has since begun taking legal action against World Rugby and the Welsh Rugby Union.

Marler had a word with his wife after a concussion suffered last season, and she reminded him to follow the correct protocols as his health influences more than just himself.

“She was like, ‘No, I’m not having it any more. If you get a head knock, you follow the right protocols and you tell someone, because it’s not about you anymore’,” Marler said.

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