O’Shea urges Quins star Marler to keep playing ‘on the edge’

Conor O’Shea has told Joe Marler to keep playing “on the edge” despite the England prop seeing a sports psychologist to keep a lid on his temper.

Harlequins boss O’Shea believes Marler can actually benefit in the long-term from a wretched few months where he was banned for abusing Wales prop Samson Lee, then for kicking Grenoble hooker Arnaud Heguy in the head.

Marler will return from his two-week ban for kicking Heguy in tonight’s European Challenge Cup final clash with Montpellier in Lyon, with boss O’Shea backing the 25-year-old to master his demons.