Joe Marler backs Eddie Jones to succeed Warren Gatland as Lions boss if Kiwi leaves post before Australia tour in 2025

Joe Marler believes appointing Eddie Jones as Warren Gatland’s successor as British and Irish Lions Head Coach would be ‘a good laugh’.

Gatland has held the position since 2013 when he led the Lions to success in Australia, before claiming a credible draw against World Cup holders New Zealand in 2017.

2

Four years on, the Kiwi experienced the agony of a narrow Test series defeat as Morne Steyn broke British and Irish hearts just as he did in 2009 to secure a 19-16 win for the Springboks in the deciding Test.

The Lions went 1-0 up in the series, suffered a dreadful second half collapse in the second game and then missed multiple opportunities during the final stanza in Cape Town to kill the game off before Steyn assertively swung his right boot once again.

Gatland has been told by the Lions hierarchy the job of leading the combined nations against Australia in 2025 is his if he wants it, with chairman Jason Leonard backing the 57-year-old.

Yet Marler, who was part of the Tour to New Zealand in 2017, believes England coach Jones would be a worthy replacement for Gatland, if the role was offered to him.

2

DREAM TEAM IS BACK!

“I think he upset the Lions board or establishment when he said it was just a bunch of blokes going away with blazers on or something.

“But he said it tongue in cheek! He would be a good laugh, he would be good.

“Let’s put him in there, why not.”