Joe Marler restores X account, explains blasting 'ridiculous' haka

England front-rower Joe Marler has returned to social media to explain his controversial remarks about the New Zealand rugby haka. The 34-year-old, who on Tuesday wasn’t included in Steve Borthwick’s match day 23 to face the All Blacks next Saturday in London, originally posted two messages on X, the platform formally known as Twitter.

“The haka needs binning. It’s ridiculous,” he wrote in his initial, controversy-igniting post. This was followed by a second message. “It’s only any good when teams actually front it with some sort of reply. Like the league boys did last week.”

Marler’s reference to league was the England versus Samoa game in Wigan last Sunday where the Samoans performed their pre-game dance while eye-balling their English opponents in a head-to-head stand-off. In contrast, New Zealand traditionally perform their haka in rugby union with the opposition standing in their own half of the pitch.

England were fined in 2019 after contravening the rule ahead of the Rugby World Cup semi-final in Japan, with Marler part of the match day 23 that went across the line. Following the overnight controversy ignited by his two posts ahead of Saturday's Twickenham encounter, the front-rower went nuclear and deleted his X account.

However, he has now reversed that decision and reactivated his account to post two new messages on X claiming he was only fishing with his original comments. “Context is everything,” he began. “Just having a bit of fun trying to spark interest in a mega rugby fixture. Some wild responses. Big Love.” He added in a second message: “Also needed to satisfy my narcissism.”

Ellis Genge, who missed the summer tour to Japan and New Zealand, has been named as the starting England loosehead this Saturday with Fin Baxter providing cover from the bench. That left Marler as one of 13 players in Borthwick's squad of 36 surplus to requirement for the first of four November matches, a schedule that also had games in London versus Australia, South Africa and Japan.

It has since been reported by The Times that Marler left the England camp at Pennyhill on Monday night before Borthwick publicly named his team on Tuesday afternoon.

The veteran prop, who has previously spoken openly about his mental health issues, had returned to the squad following a broken foot suffered against the All Blacks in July but it is now said he is unlikely to play for his country in any of the Autumn Nations Series fixtures.