Former England scrumhalf Care to retire from all rugby

LONDON - Scrumhalf Danny Care, who won 101 caps for England and has made a record 394 appearances for Harlequins, will retire from rugby at the end of the season, the London club said on Tuesday.

Care, 38, stepped back from the international game after the 2024 Six Nations and now will leave Quins a year earlier than he had hoped.

So, its finally time. Unfortunately, after 19 years of playing for this incredible club, Im going to be retiring from rugby at the end of the season, Care said in a letter on the clubs website.

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.

To all the fans. Thank you for everything youve given me and my family. You brought us into your hearts. Youve sung my name louder than its ever deserved. And I cant really put into words what representing this club and playing in front of you all has meant to me.

Care joined Quins in 2006 and helped them to the 2011 European Challenge Cup and the 2012 Premiership title.

Nine years later they lifted the Premiership trophy again after their astonishing comeback semi-final win over Bristol and then victory over Exeter in the final.

He made his England debut as a 21-year-old in 2008 and was a key member of the Six Nations-winning teams of 2011, 2016 and 2017.

He then fell out of favour with former coach Eddie Jones, before being recalled after three years in 2022 and was a regular replacement during Englands run to the 2023 World Cup semi-finals where they lost to South Africa.

A livewire operator always looking for the chance of a quick break, Care