Joe Marler has revealed that the anxiety caused by departing for England duty would drive him to get himself deliberately sin-binned or sent off.

Marler announced his international retirement last week in order to spend more time with his family but he will continue playing for his club Harlequins.

It was during a defeat at Bristol on September 22 that the combustible loosehead prop decided his 59-cap Test career was over.

The day after the 20-13 loss at Ashton Gate, Marler phoned coach Eddie Jones to inform him of the news as England were gathering for a three-day camp ahead of the autumn series.

“First of all, the Bristol game, I played like an absolute helmet, which often happened around England time,” Marler told The Rugby Pod.

“That sort of mindset manifested... the anxiety I’d get about having to leave and go away again would start to manifest in giving away even more dull penalties and looking for outs.

“I was looking for a yellow card and looking for a red card because if I could pick up a ban then that was an easy way out without actually pulling the trigger.

“After that game, I said I can’t keep doing this... I can’t keep doing this roller coaster. It’s not fair on my family and it’s not fair on my club.”

“I rang Eddie up and was pretty honest with him. He said, ‘I appreciate your honesty, good on ya, all the best’. It was short.

“The relationship I had with Eddie — based on what I did in 2016 for the Australia tour (Marler withdrew) — he knew that if I decided on something there wasn’t a lot of chat he could give to change my mind.”

Marler received a yellow card against Bristol for leading with his forearm, risking a ban that might have ruled him out of England’s penultimate training camp before their November opener against South Africa on November 3.

The 28-year-old was suspended for three weeks for use of the elbow against Wasps in 2017, ruling him out of the first two games of the autumn against Argentina and Australia.

And for this year’s Six Nations he was forced to miss the opening two rounds due to a six-week ban incurred for the red card shown for a dangerous clear-out at a ruck against Sale in January.

“I’d just had enough. I’ve got a young family.

“I’d really enjoyed my time with England, but my family is my priority,” Marler said.

“When I had kids, it completely flipped my perspective. I need to be around more — half the year I’m away.”

“You might as well write this year off. It’s a huge year — World Cup, Japan.

“Yeah, you talk about the coin and the earnings, but you can’t buy back the years or parents’ evenings or the stuff you’re potentially missing out on.

“I’m not knocking the boys for doing it because that’s what they want to do and the drive that they have.

“I don’t have that drive.

“My drive is to be with my family and enjoying being a family and to focus on my club commitments.

“That will take a level of sacrifice as well and I couldn’t do both.

“If those 31 blokes in a year’s time are lifting up a trophy (at the World Cup) and I could potentially have been a part of that group, how will I feel?

“I don’t know if I’ll have a regret until I regret it. You’ve got to stand by your decisions and that will be that.”