ENGLAND prop Joe Marler will find out today whether his verbal abuse of Samson Lee will result in a suspension – but Wales boss Warren Gatland has remarkably labelled the “gypsy boy” slur as “banter”.

The Harlequins loosehead will appear before a disciplinary committee after being cited for striking opposite number Rob Evans.

Six Nations chiefs have said that there will be no comment regarding his verbal abuse of Lee, which occurred in the opening exchanges of England’ 25-21 victory at Twickenham, until the foul place incident is dealt with.

Marler apologised to Lee at half-time for the insult and has been censured by his country but the derogatory remark has angered the traveller community with one campaigner calling for a ban.

Verbal abuse of a player based on religion, race, colour, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation or otherwise carries a minimum sanction of a four-week suspension.

Gatland, however, believes that a line should be drawn under the matter, claiming that the Evans incident is more pressing than the slur.

“It was just a bit of banter as far as I am concerned and that’s the way that Samson said it,” said the New Zealander.

“Joe said to him at half time it was just a bit of fun and Samson has no issue. It’s just banter on the rugby field.

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“Fifteen or 20 years ago, those things were sorted out with fists and stuff. Look, we don’t want to make a massive issue out of it.

“Let’s put it to bed. I was more concerned by the forearm. He has been cited for that and we will see what the outcome is.”

“In every aspect of life, people get so PC and just make massive issues about things,” he continued. “It was just one of those things, a little bit of banter and we’ve accepted that.”

Gatland has made just four changes to the side that lost in London with the sole unenforced alteration seeing Rhys Webb come in at scrum-half for Gareth Davies, who drops down to the bench after starting all four previous rounds.

Wing Hallam Amos, lock Luke Charteris and flanker Justin Tipuric come in for Alex Cuthbert (foot), Alun Wyn Jones (foot) and captain Sam Warburton (head) respectively.

The Jones injury – with Gatland claiming the second row had only been operating at 80 per cent – is a hammer blow for the Ospreys with their talisman expected to be out for six weeks as they chase Champions Cup qualification.

Loosehead Gethin Jenkins returns from a calf problem on the bench while forwards Aaron Jarvis, Jake Ball and Ross Moriarty are involved for the first time this tournament.

They will be expected to add some impact against an Italy side smarting from a 58-15 hammering in Ireland and under the microscope given the strides made by Georgia.

Wales: L Williams, G North, J Davies, J Roberts, H Amos, D Biggar, R Webb, R Evans, S Baldwin, S Lee, B Davies, L Charteris, D Lydiate (captain), J Tipuric, T Faletau. Replacements: K Owens, G Jenkins, A Jarvis, J Ball, R Moriarty, G Davies, R Priestland, G Anscombe.