Danny Care: Harlequins No9 a brilliant player
Harlequins No9 Danny Care has been a brilliant servant to the Premiership and he will be missed from the English top flight, writes Ollie Phillips.
“It’s been a really tough decision, but I think it’s the right time for me, and it’s the right time for the club. I’ve been so lucky to wear this shirt and play on this pitch for 19 years, and now it’s someone else’s turn to live the dream.”
I think these words from the retiring Harlequins scrum-half Danny Care really sum up the brilliance of the man.
At times, he was completely unplayable and managed to be an international centurion despite being left out in the cold by former England coach Eddie Jones. He was no stranger to backchatting a referee either.
But it seems that he’s also recognised that his time is up. You’re never quite sure as a senior player when the next big thing is going to come and humiliate you, first in training and then on the pitch.
But, combined with fellow No9 Ben Youngs, Care was a stalwart of the Premiership and an omnipresent figure amid a time of unprecedented foreign imports and exports.
Care is probably leaving at the right time, however, with Harlequins seemingly unable to string together a series of performances reminiscent of their title-winning season recently.
They’re rigid and disjointed, maybe in part down to the lack of their usual No9 in his starting shirt due to injury. He had signed on yet again but his premature retirement suggests a change of heart.
Asking the fans to “please stick with the team” spoke volumes about where the side are at.
Regardless of the departure and its surrounding reasons, Care’s commitment to the Premiership has been brilliant and it is great to hear he will become a Harlequins ambassador.
Maybe they should name a stand after the gobby scrum-half. It’s the least he deserves!
Top of the tree
The match on Saturday between Bath and Leicester is a huge one for the Premiership run-in. Bath are safe at the top of the tree but Leicester are chasing a home semi-final.
The former are likely to rest some players in anticipation of next week’s EPCR Challenge Cup final while Leicester know they can put themselves in an untouchable position should results go their way and they win.
I said it last week: the biggest influences on the top four will be Saints and Bath, due to their European finals next weekend.
Festival at the final
Premiership Rugby announced this week that – besides the tickets held back for the two finalists – the showpiece final next month was completely sold out.
This is the first time that this has happened this early in the season – a month out – and it is testament to the excitement the Premiership is offering.
Sure, many of those fans would be certain Bath or hopeful Gloucester ones – each with a solid fan base – but the day out at HQ seems to still be a popular one in the calendar.
Playoffs are controversial, but fans are still backing them by paying their hard-earned cash to be there.
Former England Sevens captain Ollie Phillips is the founder of Optimist Performance. Follow Ollie @OlliePhillips11