Joe Marler declared ‘the time has come to finally jump off the rollercoaster’ after announcing he will bring an end to his career in professional rugby this weekend.
The former England prop, who won 95 Test caps, confirmed his retirement from international rugby earlier this month.
It was anticipated Marler would play the rest of the season with his club Harlequins before stepping away from the game altogether. But on Wednesday, the 34-year-old revealed he will play his final Premiership game with Quins against Bristol on Friday night.
‘The time has come to finally jump off the rollercoaster and walk away from this beautifully brutal game,’ said Marler, who has given 15 years of service to Quins and won two Premiership titles. ‘On Friday night I’ll play my last ever match for Quins. After all these happy years, it’s over. The most important thing I want to say to our fantastic supporters is thank you.
‘Thank you for your patience and support when you could easily have turned your back on me, for the kindness you’ve shown, even when I haven’t deserved it, and for cheering my name even after I’d been banned again. I feel lucky to have pulled on the jersey worn by so many idols of mine and so many better players.
‘That’s an incredible thing to me. I’ll always be grateful to the club’s owners for giving me the opportunity to live out my dream.’
Joe Marler has announced that he will retire from rugby, with his final game set for this weekend
He will play his last game vs Bristol as ‘the time has come to finally jump off the rollercoaster’
The former England prop confirmed his retirement from international rugby earlier on this month
Loosehead prop Marler has been one of rugby’s most colourful characters both on and off the field.
He won three Six Nations titles with England and toured with the Lions in 2017.
His mid-season departure will come as a shock to Harlequins fans.
The club’s head coach, Danny Wilson, said: ‘Joe should be incredibly proud of his fantastic career.
‘He’s a remarkable character on and off the pitch and hugely popular with our supporters. In retirement, he should rightly be recognised for his outstanding achievements for both club and country. In the modern game, it’s rare players stay at one club for the duration of their professional career and that can’t be overlooked.
‘It speaks volumes of Joe’s connection to the club, its staff, and the players he’s shared the pitch with throughout the years. He’s one of rugby’s big characters and will be missed.’
