Rugby: Rugby-Care, fittingly, set for 100th cap off the bench

LONDON (Reuters) – Danny Care will become England’s sixth, and probably least likely, rugby centurion when he wins his 100th cap against Ireland on Saturday 16 years after his debut and two since being recalled after his international career appeared to be over.

Care, 37, is among the replacements at Twickenham behind recalled starter Alex Mitchell and is guaranteed a thunderous welcome when he joins the fray, whatever the state of the game.

It is an honour that would have appeared extremely unlikely when Care was discarded by Eddie Jones in 2018 and spent the next four years in the wilderness.

However, he earned a surprise recall in 2022 for the summer tour of Australia, only for his international career to look finished once more when Jones hauled him off after 35 minutes of the third test and didn’t pick him again.

Steve Borthwick then replaced Jones as England coach and although he overlooked Care initially, he called him up to his World Cup squad, where he forced his way past Ben Youngs to act as back up to Mitchell, himself a late call-up after injury to Jack van Poortvliet. It was a role he knew well, after becoming something of a specialist “finisher” behind Youngs as he has gone on to win 56 of his 99 caps off the bench.

It was also particularly satisfying for Care, who had a previously painful relationship with the World Cup. He was selected for the 2011 tournament but could not go due to injury. In 2015 he was involved only in the final pool game against Uruguay, with England already eliminated from their own tournament, while he was on the outside looking in at the 2019 tournament.

He made a memorable contribution in 2023 though, coming off the bench to score the decisive late try, his 15th for England, and then making a match-winning tackle as Samoa threatened an upset victory in the pool stage.

But while Youngs, at 34 with 127 caps, announced his international retirement after the tournament, Care said he would continue to make himself available having won his first cap against New Zealand in 2008, two years before his long-time rival for the number nine jersey.

In this year’s Six Nations he came off the bench against Italy and Wales before starting in the 30-21 defeat by Scotland.

He, like most of his team mates, was not at his best in that game so he will be desperate to ensure his 100th appearance brings happier memories, and not just from the joy of having his family and friends around to witness it.

“The Scotland game was another opportunity to learn and I’m definitely still learning at 37,” Care told the BBC’s Rugby Union Daily podcast.

“Whatever role I have this week, I’ll give it everything. You never know which game is going to be your last so I just want to enjoy it and have fun.

“It’s going to be a really special day for me and the family. Not that it doesn’t matter if we don’t get a result, but imagine how amazing it would be if we did get a win, something that I can remember forever. To break Ireland’s winning Six Nations streak – these are the games why I’m still doing it.”

Borthwick, who was captain for Care’s debut against New Zealand 16 years ago, paid tribute to him after naming his team on Thursday. “Danny has been a tremendous servant to English rugby and reaching this milestone is an incredible achievement,” he said.

“He is a wonderful player and someone who always puts the team first. I’m sure Saturday will be an emotional and memorable day for Danny and his family, and the team couldn’t be prouder of his accomplishment.”

(Reporting by Mitch Phillips, editing by Toby Davis)