Our latest sole mate is Joe Marchant. Last seen on the international stage playing for England in the Six Nations, it’s back to club rugby for the rest of the season with the Rugby World Cup 2023 hot on its heels. With two appearances for England in the Six Nations and some standout performances for his club, Joe is hoping his ability to play at centre and on the wing will stand him in good stead for selection for Steve Borthwick’s 33-man squad.
But first a little background detail. Joe was an England debutant at centre in 2019 having made his way through the age groups at U18s and U20s levels. He joined the Harlequins academy in 2014 and made his club debut in 2015. A brief sabbatical with Auckland’s Super Rugby team, the Blues, gave him a new string to his bow though when coach Leon MacDonald made it clear he would be playing on the wing as well as at centre. Wing and full-back are often interchangeable and, as we have seen from the England’s line-ups in the past few seasons, fly-halves and centres often swap, but not so much centre and wing.
“I think it is a good thing to play a number of positions, especially at club level. I often play 60 minutes at centre and then the last 20 on the wing. It also depends on who we are playing against. For example, for teams that kick a lot, one of my strengths is being under the high ball, so it makes sense for me to be on the wing. I just love being on the pitch, to be honest.”
The centre partnership conundrum continues for England with more than a dozen players in the 12 and 13 shirts since the last Rugby World Cup in 2019.
“It’s hard because there are so many good options, but the centres have seen the most change, especially with Faz (Owen Farrell) being able to play 12 and 10. There’s always going to be a lot of changes and combinations. Even this campaign, the centres were so different. First week was me and Faz, then it was Ollie (Lawrence) and Sladey (Henry Slade), and Manu (Tuilangi) came in at the end. There are so many different options and strengths, so it has to come down to who you are playing against.
“We all want to play. It’s about keeping your head down, training hard every day and waiting for the opportunity; any one of us could get picked.”
Joe has returned to his club to help battle for a top-four spot. With just four rounds left with the middle of the table so tight and some clubs due for a bye week, it is tough to call who will take the play-off spots, but few would ever write-off Quins!
Whatever position Joe plays, he seems to shine the most when he plays alongside his familiar club mates, such as fellow England team mates Marcus Smith, Alex Dombrandt and Danny Care (who received an England call-up as recently as 2022). Quins’ convincing win over Exeter Chiefs earlier this month saw Joe speed over for the fourth and fifth tries of a whopping 40-5 win, potentially fuelled by his enthusiastic dancing to “It’s Raining Men” in the changing room beforehand. Check out the video…it will bring a smile to your face!
“We were so excited to play at Twickenham and there have been a few times when everyone has been singing and dancing before a match. It was definitely good for us. When we our enjoying ourselves as Quins, we can do a lot of good things!
“Me and Marcus had pretty clear comms from Steve (Borthwick) to go away and play like international players for our club. Basically, go back and put in a good performance. Marcus went straight back in, and I got back on the bench against Ireland.”
Joe will be swapping London for Paris next season as he heads to Stade Francais where he will hook up with Quins’ former head coach Paul Gustard, who is now defence coach at Stade Jean-Bouin. Joe will still be able to take part in this year’s Rugby World Cup but will not be able to play for England afterwards. All in all, this was a decision he did not take lightly after nine years at The Stoop.
“It was really hard. The England stuff was on my mind even though I was not in the squad at the time. I have really enjoyed my time at the club and love playing for England, but I felt it was the right time to try something new.”
Away from the rugby pitch, Joe has a black belt in karate and a dog called Otis. He is a keen guitar player, is learning French and is dating singer-songwriter Hollie Shearer, daughter of England football legend Alan. He has recently been part of an LGBTQ+ Pride event on behalf of the club. Quins seem to be leading the way when it comes to inclusivity having founded the sport’s first LGBTQ+ supporters’ group, Quins Pride, in 2021. This season’s Pride game against Newcastle Falcons is scheduled for April 15.
Joe also likes a good pair of shoes with the Herring’s Sussex Oxfords and our Carnaby brogues in his collection. These are full-on, traditional shoes and are perfect for black tie events, weddings, and other formal occasions, but also for date nights!
“Hollie and I like to dress up and just go out for dinner. I really like that smart look. I am not the most fashionable person out there; Hollie is a big influence on my fashion sense. But I like a nice long jacket and a smart pair of chinos with good shoes. I think that looks really strong and the shoes make all the difference.
“A lot of the time in rugby, you are going to great places, representing your club or your country, so I think it’s really important to look right.”
Good luck to you Joe. We wish you all best for the World Cup and life in Paris. You’ll be taking a bit of British flair with you though with some of the smartest shoes we have to offer.
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