Why was Marland Yarde dropped by Harlequins for Wasps clash? Club release statement
MARLAND YARDE did not feature for Harlequins on Sunday in their European Rugby Champions Cup clash with Wasps despite being originally featured on the team-sheet.
Yarde had been due to start on the right wing as part of one of England’s most potent group of backs, including Mike Brown, Jamie Roberts and Tim Visser.
But the England speedster was dropped by Quins at the last minute, with little reason given for the decision.
"Charlie Walker starts on the right wing after Marland Yarde was withdrawn from the squad following an internal disciplinary matter," a Harlequins statement said.
"The club will make no further comment on this."
But it has now emerged that Yarde missed the so-called "Captain's Run", a pre-match training session in the stadium itself, and was punished by being removed from the squad.
Instead, he featured for Quins' reserve side against Gloucester on Monday in a 36-26 win.
Yarde was named in Eddie Jones’ latest England training squad ahead of the Autumn Internationals against Argentina, Australia and Samoa.
The 25-year-old Saint Lucia-born winger already has 13 caps for England with eight tries, his most recent score coming during the three-Test summer series against Argentina.
And he will have been hoping to produce another fine performance at the Ricoh to convince the watching Jones of his value ahead of the naming of the new England squad on Thursday.
But now his short-term international future has been thrown into doubt by this apparent misdemeanour.
His days at Harlequins are also rumoured to be numbered with some of Europe's top clubs eyeing his services.
The winger has even been linked with a switch to France, which would preclude him from England duty, but is understood only to be interested if there is no chance he could play in the 2019 Rugby World Cup.