"After the England announcement this was inevitable, and I'd much rather go out now than try to flog a dead horse for the next six months.

"I actually quit last week and they said can you come back for one more game because Fin [Baxter] needs a rest.

"So I said, 'yeah, I'll come and say goodbye to the fans'. The time's right when you know."

Marler, a father of four, said he was going to take "time out to chill" before making his next move.

But the electric tempo set in his 286th and final match for Quins convinced him he had made the right decision.

"I'm blown away by the fans here," Marler added. "I've got so many fond memories and it's down to them and the team-mates I've been lucky enough to play with, but I'm ready for it.

"I was out there and I went, 'I can't do this, get me off'.

"It's been wonderful, the game's been so good to me considering I've been so bad to it. I've loved every minute of it, it's been great."