England’s Care has Unfinished Business at Rugby World Cup
Danny Care, the veteran scrum-half of Harlequins, has expressed his determination to cap off his rollercoaster international career by representing England at the Rugby World Cup in France. Having missed out on the previous tournament in 2019, Care revealed that making the squad this time around would be a dream come true.
Care, who has earned 87 caps for England between 2008 and 2018, was left out of the team by former head coach Eddie Jones. After spending four years on the sidelines, Care returned to the international scene last summer, winning three caps during the tour of Australia. However, he was subsequently dropped from the team for the autumn matches and the recent Six Nations tournament under the coaching of Steve Borthwick.
Yet, when approached about his availability for the World Cup, Care did not hesitate to seize the opportunity. To play in a World Cup is a dream, and I will give it everything, he stated in an interview with the Rugby Union Weekly podcast. It’s why I’ve stayed in England for 18 years as a player; I always wanted to play for my country.
Despite being England’s second most-capped scrum-half in history, Care has only played one World Cup game, which happened to be a dead rubber against Uruguay in 2015. In 2011, he suffered a significant foot injury just as he was poised to be the starting scrum-half. In 2015, he found himself third in the pecking order, and in 2019, he failed to make the training camp.
Reflecting on his World Cup experiences, Care expressed his deep desire to be part of the squad heading to France. World Cups haven’t been what I wanted them to be, he admitted. So, I would give anything to get in that 33 to France. The dream is to do what the ’03 lads did and win the trophy.
With his eyes firmly set on the World Cup, Care has been training passionately and is particularly impressed by the quality of coaching and players in the England team. Speaking about Borthwick, Care said, As a head coach, I have been blown away by his detail and how he drives the team forward.
As Care continues to work hard and contribute to the team, he remains optimistic about his chances. Anything could happen, it’s rugby. All I am focusing on is each day and trying to help the team, he added.
Care’s determination and resilience serve as inspiration for rugby players and fans alike. As the World Cup draws nearer, all eyes will be on whether Care can fulfill his dream and make his mark on the international stage once again.
