Joe Marler dropped by England for South Africa tour over drinking culture concerns

Marler has been left out of England's squad for their upcoming tour of South Africa due to concerns over his drinking culture.

The prop has been a regular member of the England team in recent years, but his off-field behaviour has been called into question on a number of occasions.

In a statement, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) said that Marler's omission from the squad was "a difficult decision", but that it was made "in the best interests of the team".

"Joe is a talented player, but we have made it clear to him that his off-field behaviour is not acceptable," the statement said.

"We have given him time to address these issues, but we have not seen the necessary improvement. As a result, we have decided to leave him out of the squad for the tour of South Africa."

Marler has been involved in a number of off-field incidents in recent years, including being fined £20,000 for calling Wales prop Samson Lee "Gypsy boy" during a Six Nations match in 2016.

He was also involved in a verbal altercation with Ireland prop Cian Healy during the 2019 Rugby World Cup, which led to Healy being cited for misconduct.

Marler's drinking culture has also been a concern for the RFU, with the prop admitting to drinking heavily on a number of occasions.

In 2018, he was involved in a drunken incident in a Dublin nightclub, which led to him being fined by the RFU.

The RFU has made it clear that Marler's off-field behaviour is not acceptable, and that he will need to address these issues if he wants to be considered for selection in the future.

It is unclear whether Marler will be available for selection for the 2023 Rugby World Cup, which will be held in France.