Joe Marler has been suspended for two matches and fined £20,000 by World Rugby following his 'gypsy boy' jibes in the England-Wales game last month.
Few are labelling the punishment too soft. The reaction has largely been divided into two camps - those who feel the penalty is about right and those who believe it is too harsh and people are too quick to take offence these days.
England rugby players and former England rugby players have sided with their man. Austin Healey's believes the punishment was out of proportion to the crime.
While Nick Easter hit on more of a 'he's got loads of black friends defence'.
How can @WorldRugby sanction @JoeMarler for racism? He is the most antibigoted person I know! pic.twitter.com/Va0cf38qIS
— Nick Easter (@nick_easter) April 2, 2016
Quite disproportional https://t.co/ybsFB58m4M
— Austin Healey (@IamAustinHealey) April 5, 2016
2 match ban and a 20k fine for Joe Marler.
A fair and reasonable solution.
Now we can all move on.
— Paul Williams (@thepaulwilliams) April 5, 2016
One person who isn't backing Marler is England's WBO Middleweight World Champion Billy Joe Saunders, who says he probably won't watch the English rugby team anymore.
Speaking to Victoria Derbyshire on BBC 2 today, Saunders added that he had discussed Marler's comments with Tyson Fury. Both were 'disgusted' by Marler's remarks.
In our culture we’ve had this most of our lives. It’s not been so bad in the last few years. When you receive abuse on social media from Twitter and Facebook trolls it’s not so bad but when you receive it in sport it’s not acceptable.
I’ve had it all my life but I’ve never had it in my sport from another sportsman. I was a fan of rugby and now I probably won’t watch England play rugby anymore.
Now other people might think twice about using the term in an offensive way. There is no room for any racism is sport; especially at the standard that he is playing. I was talking about it on the phone to my friend Tyson Fury last night and we are both disgusted by it.
Marler says he won't appeal the punishment. The £20,000 will be paid to an equality charity.
