I’m a rugby player, get me in there – Joe Marler keen for jungle experience

Joe Marler may have called time on his England career but the limelight still beckons – with reality TV now in his sights.

The Harlequins prop announced his retirement from the international game last weekend after earning 95 caps and playing in three World Cups over a 12-year career.

The 34-year-old will see out the remainder of the season with his club but is now looking ahead.

Despite anticipating people would “mock the fact I’ve got no dance moves” and he would “be really bad at anything in confined spaces because I’m claustrophobic”, he admits programmes such as ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ and ‘I’m a Celebrity… Get Out Me Out of Here’ would appeal.

Joe Marler waves his arms and his cap during an England training session
Joe Marler earned 95 England caps during his career (David Davies/PA)

“I’d do it as a fan of those shows and I’d do it for the desire I have to experience those things.

“I’d love to go in the jungle. I’m a Celeb. That’d be such great fun.”

Marler’s decision to retire came after he recently withdrew from England’s squad for their autumn internationals for personal reasons.

“It was sad to admit,” said Marler, who was also in the headlines recently after making controversial comments about New Zealand’s haka.

“How long can you flog a dead horse? It wasn’t a knee-jerk thing.

“My daughter Maggie had been crying her eyes out about me leaving for matches, asking, ‘Why do you have to keep going away?’”

Joe Marler goes to embrace Dan Cole at a press conference
Joe Marler started crying in Dan Cole’s arms after announcing England retirement (Adam Davy/PA)

“There was three per cent of me in that moment that thought, ‘Maybe’, but I’d made up my mind,” Marler said.

He admits breaking the news to his friend Cole was emotional.

He said: “I just hugged him and started crying in his arms. That was the outpouring of emotion, the weight of it had just gone. I knew it was the right choice but there was a sadness. That was it.”

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