England’s scrum half, Danny Care, who missed Rugby World Cup 2011 in New Zealand through a toe injury, has been dropped from the Elite Player Squad which is to take part in the RBS Six Nations 2012 tournament from the end of this month, following his arrest for drink driving on the night of New Year’s Eve, 31st December 2011.
The 25 year old has 32 caps to his name and, until the injury ahead of the World Cup, had established himself as a regular in Martin Johnson’s England team.
Three weeks ago, Care was arrested for drunk and disorderly, following which he was disciplined by his club, Harlequins, and also reproached by new England coach, Stuart Lancaster.
On New Year’s Eve, following an 11-9 victory for Harlequins – in which Care scored the instrumental try – over Exeter, Care was stopped by police with around twice the legal limit of alcohol in his system. The player has decided to plead guilty to drink driving charges.
England’s interim coach for the Six Nations, Stuart Lancaster, has sought to improve discipline following a number of high profile controversies which were believed to have derailed their team efforts in New Zealand. Care’s absence from this year’s tournament goes some way to proving that Lancaster’s words upon his appointment, when he said “I do believe that behaviour shapes performance and the environment,” were meant.
Personal discipline is, in my opinion, an essential part of any successful sportsman, so I entirely support Mr Lancaster’s approach. I wish him and our team a great season of exciting and successful rugby. Malcolm Whitfield
such a shame to see a good player like this missing out because of a silly non-rugby incident.
it seems as though ‘boys will be boys’ is gone from the sport and i;m not sure that’s a good thing?