Phil Keith-Roach knows how to put together a World Cup-winning scrum and in Joe Marler he believes England have found an important cornerstone.

Marler has long been England’s second in command at loosehead prop, playing a supporting role for the likes of Alex Corbisiero and Mako Vunipola.

But with injury robbing England of the services of Corbisiero and Vunipola, Marler grabbed the opportunity – and he clearly has no intention of letting it go.

Promoted to the Harlequins captaincy this season, Marler is a man with a big future and in the absence of his international rivals he has made the England jersey his own.

Having featured for England in the defeats to New Zealand and South Africa, has kept his place for tomorrow’s clash with Samoa.

And Keith-Roach – scrum coach when the Red Rose lifted the Webb Ellis trophy back in 2003 – insists Marler’s rise to prominence could be England’s most valuable weapon, less than a year out from the World Cup.

“You need two guys competing for position and in a way you don’t really want to mind who is playing – you don’t want a gap between them,” he said.

“The emergence of Joe Marler has helped with that.

“You have got a couple of guys injured and you are still able to start with Marler, who is exceptionally durable and efficient.

“There is something to be said about props serving a bit of an apprenticeship.

“On the scrummaging front he is a more accurate scrummager than anyone.

Wimbledon Times:

Durable: Joe Marler, taking on the All Blacks last season, has been proving his worth in this autumn's international series         Picture: Getty Images

“He always binds correctly, he always keeps his hips in, he is compact, strong and accurate in what he does. I rank him very highly.

“I see him running with the ball and I know he can do that.

“He is only 24 and he must have 20 England caps already. I think he is an exceptional scrummager and it hasn’t been particularly easy for him.

“Marler has been there all the time and I don’t see him as second choice at all. It is up to the other guys to compete with him now. And the Harlequins captaincy won’t do him any harm at all.

“Matt Mullan has been much better this season and he is a very good man to have on the bench but if Marler is going well there is no point in changing it.”

Samsung are the Official Consumer Electronics & Smartphone Partner of the England Rugby Team. For more information, offers and competitions visit facebook.com/SamsungSport or follow us on Twitter @SamsungSport