Former England prop Marler retires from rugby

Former England and Harlequins prop has announced his status from nonrecreational rugby astatine the property of 34.

Marler earned 95 planetary caps crossed 12 years with the nationalist team, winning 3 Six Nations Championships.

He has played his full nine vocation astatine Harlequins, winning 2 Premiership titles and the European Challenge Cup and making 204 appearances successful the celebrated quarters.

His past nonrecreational lucifer volition beryllium Harlequins' Premiership fixture against Bristol Bears astatine The Stoop connected Friday.

"The clip has travel to yet leap disconnected the rollercoaster and locomotion distant from this beautifully brutal game. On Friday nighttime I'll play my last-ever lucifer for Quins. After each these blessed years, it's over," Marler said successful a statement.

"I consciousness fortunate to person pulled connected the jersey worn by truthful galore idols of mine, and truthful galore amended players.

"That's an unthinkable happening to me. I got to basal alongside truthful galore large players and radical that person made this nine truthful special."

Marler made his planetary debut that twelvemonth against the Springboks connected England's circuit of South Africa.

In 2015, helium was portion of the England squad that failed to beforehand past the excavation signifier of a location World Cup.

But the pursuing year, they won each 5 games to assertion the Grand Slam astatine the Six Nations, with Marler featuring successful each match.

England retained their crown successful 2017, conscionable missing retired connected a 2nd successive Grand Slam successful a final-day decision by Ireland, and were again champions successful 2020.

Despite announcing his planetary status successful 2018, Marler returned to the England fold to vie astatine the 2019 World Cup successful Japan, wherever they made it to the last earlier being beaten 32-12 by South Africa successful Yokohama.

His past World Cup quality was arsenic a substitute successful England's 16-15 semi-final decision by the Springboks successful Paris past year, earlier again announcing his planetary retirement successful November.

His signifier for England and Harlequins earned him call-ups for the British and Irish Lions circuit of New Zealand successful 2017, and for the Barbarians successful 2019 and 2022.

Marler made his Quins debut successful 2009-10 and was portion of the squad that won the 2011-12 Premiership title, wherever helium started successful the 25-23 semi-final triumph implicit Northampton Saints and the 30-23 last triumph implicit Leicester Tigers astatine Twickenham.

He played 18 times successful the club's tally to their 2nd league title, starting successful the epic 40-38 last triumph implicit Exeter Chiefs astatine the nationalist stadium.

The Quins fable has made 2 appearances truthful acold this play and is successful enactment to play his past nonrecreational lucifer against Bristol connected Friday.

News of Marler's status comes amid a flurry of declaration extensions announced astatine Harlequins during the autumn planetary break.

Vice skipper Cadan Murley, scrum-half Will Porter, winger Cassius Cleaves, full-back Tyrone Green, flanker Will Evans and hooker Sam Riley person each committed their futures to the nine successful the past 2 weeks.

BBC Sport rugby national quality newsman Mike Henson:

Marler's larger-than-life nationalist persona grabbed headlines and has fixed him a crossover illustration fewer front-rowers tin match.

Not each of his antics reflected good connected him.

His on-field trash speech crossed lines and prompted apologies connected much than 1 occasion.

His alteration of caput connected New Zealand's haka – which helium initially branded "ridiculous" earlier this period – was conscionable the latest inelegant nationalist u-turn.

But his honesty implicit his struggles with intelligence wellness and balancing household beingness with the long-haul beingness of a Test planetary was besides refreshing, breaking down stigmas and clearing the mode for others to speech astir specified issues.

On the field, helium has been England's astir accomplished scrummaging loosehead for a decade, with then-coach Eddie Jones admitting that helium regretted picking Mako Vunipola's all-court skills up of Marler's set-piece prowess to commencement the 2019 Rugby World Cup decision against a almighty South Africa.

At nine level, helium has been a Harlequins stalwart, bridging eras arsenic portion of some the 2012 and 2021 Premiership rubric wins. In taking Quins team-mate Fin Baxter nether his wing, helium has besides played a cardinal relation successful the succession program for some nine and country.