"They could win the whole thing" – Danny Care backs England for Six Nations glory and addresses personal future with Harlequins
01/28/2025 11:37 AM
England and Harlequins legend Danny Care has addressed his decision to stay at the Stoop for another season. ‘DC’ spoke to Ruck about his future with the club, England’s chances in the 2025 Men’s Six Nations, and how nothing beats watching live sport in the pub.
By Paul Wilkinson
As soon as I sat down with Danny, it was clear that this is a man who has achieved a fair bit in the game. 101 caps for his country alongside three victorious Six Nations campaigns, all while being Quins' record appearance holder, yet he still wants more.
"I'd still like to win another trophy, I'd still like to have that moment again of lifting a trophy and that's why I've given it one more crack to try and do that".
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"My two Premiership wins are two of the best days of my life. You can't explain that feeling until it happens to you. You spend more time with these lads then you do with your family".
So, winning another trophy is clearly at the top of the agenda for the stalwart number nine, but perhaps the most interesting aspect of his outlook is the enjoyment he gets from being an elder statesmen, looking on as his teammates experience their first taste of trophy success:
"In 2021, I took as much joy in seeing the other lads win it (as I had already won it in 2012). In 2021, when I was a bit older and a bit wiser, to see Louis Lynagh and Marcus Smith lifting their first ever trophy, I genuinely got more of a buzz from that than I did from lifting it myself".
"When you walk into our training ground there's a great picture of Joe Marler looking from the side looking at the lads lifting the trophy with pure joy in his face."
Care, who retired from international duty after the 2023 World Cup, is looking forward to extending his time at The Stoop for a twentieth season, having made his debut in the 2005/06 campaign.
"I love the club and I've been there 19 years so the chance to do 20 sounded right. I always said I would stop whenever I didn't enjoy it anymore or I didn't feel like I could help the team. I still feel like, maybe it's just my own opinion, but I still feel like I enjoy it and I can help".
Whilst Quins are still in the hunt for a top four final finish in the Premiership, with their chances of achieving that boosted by a crucial 22-19 victory against Northampton on Friday, the veteran scrum-half is excited for his side's next outing in European competition.
It has been announced that men from Twickenham will head to face Leinster at the iconic Croke Park on the first weekend of April. ‘DC’ will be hoping for a better outing than when he played there for England in 2009 and was sin-binned very soon after coming off the bench.
"It's another opportunity to make an incredible memory. No one will give us a chance of going there and beating Leinster, and we shouldn't beat Leinster. But, that's the best thing about Quins is that we'll give it a go. We're not going to go there and just let them win".
Moving on to the international game, Care revealed his wife has booked a weekend away in Dublin for them to watch the game this coming weekend.
On England's chances in the mouth-watering clash at the Aviva, the Yorkshireman is "really optimistic. A lot of people have given them a lot of stick about the Autumn but they were beating the best teams in the world for most of those games. It's not like England are getting blown away".
"I do feel that if England could win in Dublin on Saturday night they could win the whole thing."
Care also shared his sympathy for one of his best mates in the game, Jamie George, who has had the captaincy taken away with Saracen clubmate Maro Itoje now leading Steve Borthwick's side:
"I was really sad for Jamie. I know how hard he had worked to do a really good job at it, he was doing a brilliant job. Obviously Steve's made the decision to make a change which is why he is paid the big bucks to be the head coach".
"Maro is obviously an unbelievable rugby player, one of the best in the world in his position so I'm really excited to see how him and Steve will take that team forward".
Finally, we addressed some of the crucial, most pressing matters in the world today.
"I don't think you can beat football in the pub, rugby obviously is very close. There's something about football in the pub when a goal goes in and you're there with a couple of your mates, you don't want to be anywhere else in the world at that place at that moment."
"It's the kids that have changed things for me. The days where I'm just nipping out to the pub for a couple of hours of footy doesn't go down too well with my wife these days."
Danny Care was speaking on behalf of TNT Sports about enjoying UEFA Champions League midweek football in your local pub. To find out where you can watch visit https://www.tntsports.co.uk/pubfinder/ or to find out more about a TNT Sports commercial subscription, go to https://www.tntsportsbusiness.co.uk/
The post “They could win the whole thing” – Danny Care backs England for Six Nations glory and addresses personal future with Harlequins appeared first on Ruck.
