Joe Marler now AVAILABLE for England’s Autumn International against Australia
JOE MARLER is now available to play in England’s Autumn International clash with Australia following a change of date for his ban.
Joe Marler is available for England selection
Prop Marler was suspended for striking earlier this week but a European Professional Club Rugby disciplinary committee judged that because of the player's "likely playing commitments" the ban would not include Harlequins' Anglo-Welsh Cup clash with Saracens on 5 November.
Marler was cited for use of the forearm against Will Rowlands of Wasps, resulting in a three-week ban.
The Harlequins star had been set to miss matches against Argentina and Australia and was not selected in head coach Eddie Jones’ squad yesterday.
But Harlequins have successfully appealed the verdict with the European Cup authorities, meaning Marler will be ready to face the Wallabies on November 18, if picked.
Eddie Jones must now decide whether to include Joe Marler in his England squad
England head coach, Jones, can adjust his training squad as he sees fit at any given time during the international window.
Marler and James Haskell were two of the biggest absentees from Jones’ squad unveiling yesterday afternoon, while uncapped Exeter back-row Sam Simmonds was included.
Jones takes his squad to Portugal for a training camp before the week leading up to the first autumn international against Argentina on November 11.
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“Next week we are running three different programmes in Portugal,” Jones said.
“There will be a normal programme for the bulk of the squad, a beach programme for selected Lions players and a semi-beach programme for other selected Lions players. Then we will assess where each player is and work out who is going to play.
“We feel that physically and mentally a number of the players need to be freshened up – some more than others. We have a pretty good idea who is going to be where but we haven’t finalised that as yet.”