Joe Marler has called time on his rugby career after 15 years in the professional game.

Marler was a regular for England and earned 95 caps during his international career, winning three Six Nations Championships with the Red Roses.

He also featured in three World Cups for Marler, helping England reach the final of the 2019 competition and the semi-final in 2023.

The Eastbourne-born ace spent his entire club career at Harlequins, making 204 appearances for the south-west London-based outfit.

Marler won two Premiership titles with Quins, as well as the European Challenge Cup in 2011.

He will compete in his final professional game on Friday evening when Harlequins take on Bristol.

In a statement announcing his retirement, Marler said: "The time has come to finally jump off the rollercoaster and walk away from this beautifully brutal game. On Friday night I'll play my last-ever match for Quins. After all these happy years, it's over.

"I feel lucky to have pulled on the jersey worn by so many idols of mine, and so many better players.

"That's an incredible thing to me. I got to stand alongside so many great players and people that have made this club so special."

It comes after Marler caused a storm over the international break when the rugby star suggested the haka should be scrapped, writing on social media: "The haka is ridiculous, it needs binning."

Adding: “It’s only any good when teams actually front it with some sort of reply. Like the [rugby] league boys did last week.”

England's Rugby League team had faced Samoa's pre-match ritual when the two met earlier this year.

Marler was quick to backtrack on his comments though, saying: "Hey rugby fans. Just wanted to jump on here and say sorry to any New Zealand fans I upset with my poorly articulated tweet earlier in the week.

"I meant no malice in asking for it to be binned, just want to see the restrictions lifted to allow for a response without sanction...

"My flippant attempt at sparking a debate around it was s***house and I should have done better at explaining things."

It's been a month of retirements for Marler, who had announced he was stepping back from international rugby at the start of November.

He wrote at the time: "I'm incredibly grateful I got to play 95 times for my country. I have to pinch myself. Did I really do that?

"I'm sad to say goodbye to international rugby, but I'm really proud too. It's time to exit one dream bubble and enter another."