England star Joe Marler has revealed how a toy snake and a pile of dirty nappies nearly ruined his chances of playing at this year's World Cup.

Marler suffered a torn labrum in April and immediately had surgery in a bid to return in time for England's training camps ahead of the World Cup.

But the 24-year-old Harlequins prop added an extra week's rehabilitation to his shoulder problem after falling down the stairs at home this week.

"The missus had a headache and was struggling, so I went to get the dirty nappy bin and the dirty washing, I had the toothbrush in my mouth, and I thought 'I can make it downstairs here; I'll be fine'," Marler said.

"My son actually likes chucking things over the stair gate, so on the second step down I fell on his toy snake and went straight down the stairs, head to bottom, and I'm gone.

"I've got dirty nappies all over my face, with the missus screaming 'what's the matter? What's the matter?'

"I said 'nothing, don't come down here, it's really embarrassing'.

"My shoulder is fine, that's put me back a week but the rehab is going well other than that."

After that narrow escape, Marler expects to return to full training before the end of July, which would allow him to take part in England's World Cup warm-up programme in August.
Source: AFP