Cole surprised by timing of Marler's retirement

England prop Dan Cole says helium was amazed by the timing of Joe Marler's status from planetary rugby due to the fact that "his adjacent friend" was closing successful connected 100 caps.

Marler, 34, fought backmost from breaking his ft against New Zealand successful July to marque England's Autumn Nations Series squad.

But the Harlequins prop withdrew for idiosyncratic reasons past week earlier announcing his retirement connected Sunday, finishing his England vocation with 95 caps.

"Did I deliberation helium would spell past Sunday? No," Cole said.

"But we some knew successful the end, the older we're getting, it was coming astatine immoderate point.

"I thought portion of him wanted 100 caps but unluckily helium wounded his ft successful that New Zealand Test.

"The bully happening is helium has gone retired connected his ain terms, truthful he's alive, good and healthy."

Despite not featuring successful Saturday's opening defeat by the All Blacks,, Marler made headlines by saying the New Zealand haka was "ridiculous" and needs "binning".

In his England status connection connected societal media, Marler revealed however Cole was the archetypal team-mate helium told, that the brace hugged and exchanged an "I emotion you" earlier Marler said "I americium done".

Cole, 37, said helium was missing his "good friend" successful camp, but added the squad needed to "keep moving forward".

The Leicester subordinate told BBC Sport: "It was great, having a adjacent person successful the team.

"We came from antithetic backgrounds and are antithetic radical successful regards to however quiescent I am, with Joe the opposite.

"We person akin values, rugby-wise and disconnected the field, which is wherefore we person go friends.

"I person learned a batch from him - that it is OK to person a property and connection an opinion, and not deliberation excessively overmuch astir the consequences of what you are doing, and I anticipation helium has possibly learned thing similar self-control from me."

Cole's favourite representation with his adjacent person came against South Africa successful England's World Cup semi-final decision past year, aft the duo managed to clasp disconnected the powerfulness of the satellite champions' scrum.

"The 2023 semi-final erstwhile I came disconnected and helium had travel disconnected conscionable earlier me, we shared a hug and said 'well done'," helium recalled. "After what happened successful erstwhile World Cups that was my favourite infinitesimal connected the tract together."

Uncapped Sale Sharks prop Asher Opoku-Fordjour was called up to the England squad to regenerate Marler, with Saturday's Test against Australia the archetypal imaginable accidental for the highly rated 20-year-old to feature.

"He's evidently been playing fantastically good successful the Premiership for Sale," added Cole.

"But it's not astir replacing like-for-like, it's not astir him replacing Marler.

"It's astir bringing your ain personality. It's not trying to beryllium idiosyncratic else."