England playmaker to call it quits

One of English rugby’s most-capped internationals has announced that he will retire from the professional game at the end of this season.

Harlequins scrumhalf Danny Care, who won 101 caps for England over 16 years, quit international rugby after last year’s Six Nations.

The 38-year-old featured at two World Cups and was part of England’s Grand Slam-winning team of 2016, also lifting Six Nations titles in 2011 and 2017.

Care has played nearly 400 times for Harlequins, winning the English Premiership twice and the EPCR Challenge Cup in 2011.

He is the London club’s all-time leading appearance-maker in the professional era.

“So, it’s finally time,” Care said in a statement on Tuesday. “Unfortunately, after 19 years of playing for this incredible club, I’m going to be retiring from rugby at the end of the season.

“I just wanted to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for letting a lad from Leeds come down to this club and feel like home from day one.”

England coach Steve Borthwick paid tribute to his former player. “Danny has been the heartbeat of every team he’s played for, with his passion, skill, and energy lighting up stadiums wherever he went,” he said.

“He’s given everything to rugby and I congratulate him on a brilliant career. On behalf of the team, we wish him the best in the next chapter.”

Harlequins CEO Laurie Dalrymple said: “It’s hard to put into words the impact Danny has had on not just Harlequins rugby club, but the sport of rugby union as a whole.

“As he steps away from the professional game, he leaves behind an incredible legacy.”

After his retirement, Care will represent Harlequins in an ambassadorial role. The club are currently seventh in the 10-team Premiership with two games to go of the regular season and are unlikely to reach the playoffs.

© Agence France-Presse

Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images