There was no fatted calf for Joe Marler at England’s World Cup training camp in west London as the Prodigal Son returned to the fold with a pledge that ‘nothing is taken for granted', and that he ‘has ‘everything to prove,’ ahead of the 38-man squad being trimmed by seven players on August 12th.

The Harlequins’ prop was speaking for the first time after making a surprise about-turn on last September’s decision to retire from international rugby as the demands of competing at elite level had seemingly put an intolerable strain on his willingness to commit to the cause with a young family to tend to.

Marler is England’s most experienced loosehead prop with 59 caps but it was clear from the tone of the 29-year-old’s out-of-the-blue conversation with Eddie Jones on the eve of the Barbarians’ game against England at Twickenham on June 2nd that there have been no promises made to Marler about his involvement in the tournament in Japan.

“I thought Eddie had stitched me up when I turned up at the pub, The Anglers in Teddington, as he wasn’t there but the whole England management team plus some players were there as they were relaxing prior to taking on the likes of me in the Barbarians colours two days later but I’d got the venue wrong,” Marler told Telegraph Sport.

“He was at the Lensbury Club where we are now again for this camp. I’d had contact with Eddie during my ‘retirement,’ but this was the first face-to-face. I told him I wanted to give it another crack and he said fine, if that’s what you want, but he wasn’t bothered if I did or not. That’s Eddie, grumpy, to the point and absolutely correct. There is no goodwill carrying over. It was a fresh slate. I had to start over, work my butt off and prove myself again.”


Marler had yet to tell his wife, Daisy, about his change of heart. Even though he had harboured some thoughts through the season about what he’d done in walking away they were no more than fleeting misgivings. Marler had spoken of his ‘anxiety,’ and ‘mood swings,’ in the build-up to taking the original decision. The only people to urge him not to be rash were his wife and her mother, fearing he might have regrets. The mother of his two young children and shortly about to give birth to their third, now one month old, Felix, was caught by surprise.

“Daisy had no idea, it took a few chats and it all proved a bit of a whirlwind,” said Marler. “She said to me that she thought that this part of (the sporting) life was over but was now starting again, so how is that going to work? It’s crazy, I know but we support and back each other. I needed time out back then. It was the right call at the time but I’m in a completely different head space now.

 
"Yes, I understand there are no guarantees. Of course not. If I don’t make the 31 – and Mako (Vunipola), Ellis Genge and Ben Moon are all there with a jump start ahead of me, then at least I’ll have given it a right good shot. I’d have felt unfulfilled if I had let it all go.”

There is a perception that Marler is fortunate to be afforded another opportunity albeit he was the Premiership’s stand-out performer across the season   

“What can I say, something like 40 per cent of marriages end in divorce yet I’m sure the partners meant what they said on their wedding day,” said Marler. “People change their minds, their hearts, whatever. Of course, Eddie could have said, no way, you’ve made your bed, go and sleep in it. He’s been getting stuck into me at training, mind, this last couple of days.”


The final trigger point was Marler’s involvement with the Barbarians for the first time in his career. The experience had a notable effect on him.

“It wasn’t just the off-field fun and drinking, honestly it wasn’t,” said Marler. “It was the purity of it all. There I was, out there at Twickenham, playing against England, and I just really felt that I wanted to have another go. I’m owed nothing and I’ll have to work bloomin’ hard for anything. It was like being a small kid on the first day at school meeting up with the lads on Sunday. I was nervous, had proper butterflies. 100%, that was the biggest issue for me, what would the lads think. But I’m up for the challenge.”

As he should be given that England’s 2003 World Cup triumph saw a 13 year old Marler bunking off school to head up to London to take in the celebrations in Trafalgar Square, trying to shin up lampposts as the victory parade went past.

“Yeah, brilliant, and why not want to have a crack at it yourself?” said Marler who was part of the England squad that crashed out at the pool stage in 2015. “That’s one thing I hope to be able to pass on to the younger boys. 2015 wasn’t a pleasant experience but it was an experience nonetheless. Looking back, you need to remember to enjoy it at the time, to be aware of the magnitude of it but not to be scared of it. Embrace it all because it is over in a flash.

"And, most importantly, be yourself. Don’t be the person that someone else wants you to be. Bring energy, enthusiasm and bring your own self. That’s what I intend to do.”