Joe Marler serves 10-week ban for grabbing Alun Wyn Jones’s genitals without missing a match

Prop was suspended after England’s 33-30 victory over Wales in the Six Nations

England prop Joe Marler will complete his 10-week ban from rugby without missing a match due to the coronavirus shutdown.

Marler was handed the suspension on 12 March after being found guilty of grabbing Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones by the genitals during England's stormy 33-30 win in the Guinness Six Nations.

Under World Rugby guidelines, each week of a ban should correspond to a match, with Marler's suspension set to cover a 12-week period during which the Harlequins player had been due to play 10 times.

The ban expires on 7 June and that time frame will not change despite the suspension in play due to the pandemic having wiped out the fixtures which Marler was due to miss.

The Gallagher Premiership will not resume before 27 June at the earliest.

England centre Manu Tuilagi has already completed a four-week ban for a dangerous tackle on George North in the same game. That ban expired on 14 April.

PA