England and Lions prop Joe Marler is considering quitting rugby immediately following the furore and fallout after he grabbed Alun Wyn Jones by the genitals.
The Mail on Sunday are reporting Marler has become disillusioned with the game over the outcry and the subsequent 10-week ban handed to him by disciplinary chiefs.
It is claimed the enforced coronavirus lockdown has given Marler more time to ponder whether he even wants to return to a sport with more public scrutiny on him.
Marler was banned for 10 weeks earlier this month after his bizarre act in England's Six Nations win over Wales at Twickenham.
The punishment came as a disciplinary panel found him guilty of acting against the spirit of good sportsmanship by "grabbing, twisting or squeezing the genitals" of an opponent.
While Marler accepted he had committed an act of foul play, he did not accept it warranted a red card.
The panel found the offence deserved a low-end entry point of 12 weeks, reducing it by three weeks for mitigating factors including good character and remorse, but giving an extra week due to Marler's previous disciplinary record.
The incident prompted a torrent of abuse on social media and led to the 29-year-old loosehead shutting down his accounts on Twitter and Instagram.
England and Harlequins team-mate Mike Brown sprung to the defence of Marler, labelling the disciplinary hearing as a 'witch-hunt' and turning on Wales skipper Jones.
Brown claimed the punishment was as a result of the Wales lock making a fuss about the incident at his immediate post-match Press conference, saying his words compelled the authorities to act. Brown insisted what happened on the pitch should have stayed on the pitch and that Jones, as a Lions team-mate of Marler, should have been more supportive.
England and Lions legend Lawrence Dallaglio also weighed in, saying: "I was surprised by the post-match interview. When someone as great as Alun Wyn Jones says something like that, it leads the disciplinary into behaving in a certain way.
"It's why I believe Joe ended up with 10 weeks as opposed to something a bit more around the five to six week mark."
Dalalglio, however, felt Marler was wrong to grab Jones by the privates and many others panned the prop for his actions.
Everything has built up to leave Marler considering walking away from the sport altogether despite still having a year remaining on his contract with Harlequins.
After quitting international rugby in 2018, Marler was persuaded to return to the Test arena for the 2019 World Cup as Eddie Jones’ side made it to the final.
He also made the most of Mako Vunipola’s absence in the Six Nations by becoming Jones’ first choice pick, despite the form of Ellis Genge coming off the England bench.
But it seems one of rugby's more colourful characters may have been pushed over the edge by what has happened.
