Joe Marler thanked Harlequins’ fans for the memories after calling time on his eventful professional rugby career.
Marler spent his entire career with Quins, helping the club to Gallagher Premiership Rugby titles in 2012 and 2021.
“I am just blown away by the fans here,” he said.
“I have got so many fond memories here, and it is down to them and the team-mates that I have been lucky enough to play with.
“Oh my God, I was out there, and I went ‘I can’t do this’.
“This is dark, really dark.”
Marler was not one of the 10 players to cross the whitewash during the thriller.
However, at one point during the match, he did ask the referee if he would be sent off for celebrating a try by taking his top off.
After full-time, the forward revealed that he was being entirely serious.
“I was [planning to take his top off], I was yeah,” he said.
“Do I want to show you the goods? It’s a good attempt from you.
“It has been wonderful, the game has been so good to me considering I have been so bad to it.
“I have loved every minute of it, it has been great, I guess it is over now.”
Alex Dombrandt, Cadan Murley, Luke Northmore and Tyrone Green crossed the whitewash for the hosts, with six different players touching down for Bears.
Kalaveti Ravouvou, Gabriel Ibitoye and Kieran Marmion went over before half-time, with Viliame Mata, Bernhard Jan van Rensburg and Santiago Grondona making sure of things after the break.
Marler revealed that Quins had to talk him into one last dance at The Stoop before retirement.
“There are loads of reasons [why he is retiring],” he added.
“I could not do it anymore, physically, emotionally, mentally.
“After the England announcement, this was inevitable.
“I would much rather go out now than try and flog a dead horse for the next six months.
“I actually went out last week, I quit last week, and they actually asked if I could come back because Finn [Baxter] needs a rest.”
Stream Ireland v Australia, the final game of the 2024 Autumn Nations Series, live on discovery+
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