High ‘expectations’ on England rookie as Harlequins provide firm update on injured Joe Marler
Joe Marler waving to Harlequins fans.
Harlequins head coach Danny Wilson has confirmed that club stalwart Joe Marler will miss the start of the Premiership season through injury.
Marler was withdrawn early in England’s first Test against New Zealand due to a broken foot, and Wilson has said it won’t be a miracle injury that he can recover quickly from.
Speaking to the media, Wilson said: “It’s a 12-14 week injury, and at the moment that hasn’t changed; but I need to get to the bottom of that from today’s (Wednesday) assessment.”
12-14 week injury
He added: “The 12-14 week injury (to Joe Marler) is going to be a 12-14 week injury. It’s not a 12-weeker that could come back in nine, it’s an injury that is going to take the full amount of time.”
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Harlequins kick off their Premiership season with a trip to Sale Sharks on September 22 as they look to right some wrongs from last year.
This injury also puts him in a race against time for England selection too, with head coach Steve Borthwick set to name a training squad in October.
This is, of course, a huge blow to Harlequins as they look to return to the Premiership top four; however, they do have cover in this area now. Fin Baxter established himself as the club’s starting loosehead towards the back-end of the season, and also impressed on England duty against New Zealand.
Fin Baxter praised
Baxter’s form for both club and country has earned him high praise across the board, but none more so than Quins boss Wilson.
“We were all very confident here if he (Baxter) got the opportunity and the exposure he would do himself the world of good, and he did that. He’s a very exciting prospect,” he said.
“He played really well for us at the end of the season, think of the Bordeaux performance against that pack and what he did on that day in conditions that don’t favour Fin Baxter; but he’s a very exciting prospect.
He added: “The key now is we manage him through this period. There’s a lot more expectation of him now, he was under the radar before but he’s not under the radar anymore.”
Elsewhere, British and Irish Lions prop Wyn Jones has also come into the fold this season and will only add more depth to the ranks.
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