Joe Marler reveals he hasn't spoken to former Harlequins teammate Marland Yarde in 18 months after move to Sale

Despite featuring for both club and country, Marler and Yarde do not see eye to eye

Joe Marler offered a damning verdict on his relationship with Marland Yarde (Getty)

England prop Joe Marler has revealed that he has not spoken to former teammate Marland Yarde for the last 18 months following his swift departure from Harlequins due to his poor behaviour.

Marler is currently absent from the England squad after being given a three-week ban for striking Wasps’ Will Rowlands in the European Champions Cup victory over Quins a fortnight ago, although he could be called back into the team ahead of next weekend’s autumn international against Australia.

But while there has been plenty of talk surrounding his international availability, there has also been much to discuss at club level in Twickenham following the acrimonious exit of England wing Yarde – who joined Sale Sharks last week after being told he no longer has a future at Harlequins.

The England flanker, Chris Robshaw, came out and spoke of Yarde “running out of lives” after falling foul of expectations at the club, while director of rugby John Kingston admitted that he had to take the decision to banish Yarde for the good of the team.

The details behind the saga are slowly dripping out into the public domain, with Yarde known to have missed three training sessions without reason, and now Marler has revealed that he had not spoken with the wing for a year and a half, such had been the breakdown between him and his teammates.

“I hadn’t spoken to the bloke in 18 months,” Marler told former internationals Andy Goode and Jim Hamilton on The Rugby Pod. “I’d lost the plot with him a good while ago. And let him be, let him do his own thing, because I’d given up on it.

“He’d made the decision that he wanted to leave…you know, all the best to him. I wish him all the best. I don’t wish nastiness upon anyone.

“He’s one of those to just leave, as he won’t change in my mind. Me and him just don’t get on.”

Marler and Yarde have barely spoken over the last two seasons at Harlequins and England (Getty)

Marler will not be available for Harlequins’ Anglo-Welsh Cup clash against Worcester Warriors on Sunday as he serves the final week of his suspension, and he admitted that he was “f****** gutted” to miss out on England selection, given that it cost him a place in the Portuguese training camp and the joint session against Wales on Monday.

I have missed out on a huge amount already, and then to get up to speed again...it would be a push

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In his absence, Mako Vunipola will start at loosehead prop against Argentina on Saturday with Leicester Tigers’ Ellis Genge named as a replacement. The 27-year-old Marler could yet feature in the autumn internationals against the Wallabies and Samoa, but he does not expect head coach Eddie Jones to come calling at any point this month.

He added: “I doubt it. I would be surprised [if called up]. I have missed out on a huge amount already, and then to get up to speed again, having had the week off already... it would be a push.

“We'll see. I hope the boys go well and what will be, will be.”

Yarde meanwhile will have to wait at least another week after being left out of the Sale squad that takes on Saracens on Friday night, while flanker Tom Curry will be ruled out of action for the next three months after dislocating a bone in his hand during England training on Thursday, having been named as a one of the eight replacements for this weekend’s encounter at Twickenham. Curry underwent an operation on Thursday to correct the injury, with the uncapped Exeter Chiefs back-row Sam Simmonds called up in his place.