- Veteran prop Joe Marler will be out until October after suffering a foot injury
- The 34-year-old came off during England’s defeat by the All Blacks last month
Veteran prop Joe Marler faces a race against time to be fit for England’s autumn internationals and will miss the start of the new Gallagher Premiership with the foot injury he suffered in New Zealand.
Marler, 34, came off 17 minutes into the national side’s 16-15 defeat by the All Blacks in Dunedin on July 6 and then flew home from the southern hemisphere.
The Harlequins front row was wearing a boot to protect his left foot at the club’s open training session at The Stoop on Wednesday afternoon.
Harlequins head coach Danny Wilson revealed Marler will be unavailable until October.
‘It’s going to be a 12-to-14-week injury, it’s not a 12-weeker where he can come back in nine. It’s an injury that will take that amount of time,’ Wilson said of Marler.
Joe Marler is set to be out until October after being injured in England’s defeat to the All Blacks
The 34-year-old now faces a race against time to be back for England’s autumn internationals
Without Marler, his Harlequins team-mate Fin Baxter, still just 22, excelled in the loosehead prop position for Steve Borthwick’s side.
With Marler currently on the sidelines, Harlequins have moved to sign Wales and British & Irish Lions international Wyn Jones as front-row cover.
‘We looked at our squad and knew that we were going into three pre-season matches and the first few league matches without Joe,’ said Wilson.
‘Therefore, our cupboard was a little bit bare in that position. It was the right decision for us to sign Wyn for two reasons.
‘There’s the long term of having that little bit more cover this season. Also, Wyn is going to bring a wealth of experience.’
