Cole didn’t expect Marler retirement ahead of Autumn Nations Series

Tighthead prop Dan Cole admitted he was surprised by the timing of the international retirement of his fellow front rower Joe Marler.

Marler decided to hang up his international boots just days after he caused a furore with his comments describing the New Zealand haka as “ridiculous”.

“Did I think he would go last Sunday? No,” said Cole, who had been sharing a room with Marler before the Harlequins No1 left the England camp for “personal reasons” last week.

“But we both knew in the end, the older we’re getting, it was coming at some point.

“You have an inclination but you have no control over what he thinks or does.

“The good thing is he has gone out on his own terms, so he’s alive, well and healthy.

“He’s still my friend but he’s just not here. Part and parcel of rugby is people come and go.”

England Under-20 prop Asher Opoku-Fordjour has been called up by head coach Steve Borthwick as cover for Marler, with Ellis Genge and Fin Baxter already in the squad to face Australia, South Africa and Japan after the team’s 24-22 loss to New Zealand last Saturday.

On Opoku-Fordjour, Cole said: “He’s obviously been playing fantastically well in the Premiership for Sale.

“Teams evolve, teams move forward, other people have to step up.

“But it’s not about replacing like-for-like, it’s not about him replacing Marler.

“It’s about bringing your own personality. It’s not trying to be someone else.

“You’ve been selected because you have a point of difference to bring and it’s about bringing that, rather than trying to be something you’re not.”