Why Joe Marler retirement hint may leave England career in agonising spot

Making England’s Autumn Nations Series will surely be the target for Joe Marler, who is still recovering from a broken foot suffered against the All Blacks in July.

Should he make Steve Borthwick’s squad, which he would likely do if fully fit, he has a chance to add four more caps to his haul, which would leave him with a tally of 99 caps at the end of November.

The only problem for the 34-year-old is that he has hinted that his international career may come to an end after England’s quartet of matches against the All Blacks, Australia, South Africa and Japan.

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Joining Dan Cole and Ben Youngs on the For the Love of Rugby podcast recently, the Harlequins loosehead explained how his wife wants him to “stop in December”. While his front-row companion Cole suggested Borthwick could fashion a way for the 95-cap veteran to reach his century, Marler was less convinced.

“I never did [have an ambition to make 100 caps],” he said.

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“I always wanted 27, because Tim Payne got 26 [he actually won 22]. That was always my barometer. I went, ‘right, he’s got 26, I want to get 27’. And then when I got 27, I was like, done. And that’s why I retired 18 times. But I guess now it’s closer, I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about it. But then, I’ve not really been one for milestones ever. I just enjoy playing.”

Youngs added: “But you are that close now, so you might as well do it.”

“Yeah, Daisy tells me that I have to stop in December,” Marler said. “So it means if I did make the Autumn squads and play in all four games, I’d end on 99. Well, I guess it’s probably fitting.”

Cole said: “You’d have to bring up Steve, and be like, ‘Steve, can you just play the Barbarians or something, make it a capped game for me?’ And then just have a one-off game just for you.

Marler replied: “I’m not sure Steve’s that sentimental where he’d go, ‘Just roll you out for one game, one minute off the bench, just to get your 100.'”