Danny Care’s strange sensation as part of the new generation

 
Andy Hodgson12 June 2012

Danny Care has had enough second chances to last a whole career but the Harlequins scrum-half is no mood to ask for another.

Care lines up for his first England match since August tomorrow when he plays against the South Africa ­Barbarians South in Kimberley and admits he feels like the new kid in town despite having won 32 caps.

He missed the disastrous World Cup campaign in New Zealand after injuring his toe in a warm-up match against Wales and was ditched from the Six Nations squad after some well-documented alcohol-fuelled episodes.

Watching from afar as Stuart Lancaster’s new-look side exceeded expectations by coming second in the Six Nations Care was unsure what to expect when he re-joined the squad for this trip to South Africa.

But the 25-year old was pleasantly surprised when he found that reports of Lancaster’s new culture — after the dwarf-throwing and general disarray in New Zealand — were spot on.

Care, who has known Lancaster since he was a teenager in Yorkshire, said: “I think there is a big change. It is a young squad, not many caps. That is great to see with the youthful players getting picked. There is a lot of trust being placed in them.

“To see the likes of Owen Farrell coming in and leading the team at 10 — since I have come in I have never heard someone talk so much in training. For such a young lad it is great to see. Players like Alex Corbisiero and Joe Marler coming in.

“The culture has changed quite a lot. I have noticed a big difference. You can really see what it means to be picked for England and what a massive honour it is. No one is going to take that for granted.”

Care’s end-of-season form, which helped Harlequins to the Premiership title, saw him grab a place on this tour along with eight other Quins — a testament to the improvements the side have made since the Bloodgate scandal in 2009.

Second row George Robson will captain England’s shadow side tomorrow putting Quins in the position of having two England skippers on their books with Chris Robshaw in charge of the Test side. Care said: “Obviously we have played the right rugby to get boys picked for England. It is great to see so many of us here.”

Prop Marler and Robshaw look set to be involved against the Springboks in Johannesburg on Saturday but a decent performance from Care could see him leapfrog Ben Youngs and Lee Dickson and reclaim his Test starting berth.

Youngs was noticeably out of sorts in the 22-17 First Test defeat on Saturday and looks vulnerable although Lancaster has admitted he and Dickson have a head start on Care after England’s resurgence.

Care said: “They have got some credit in the bank and played well in the Six Nations. Obviously, I wasn’t there so I couldn’t play well and earn that credit. It is up to me to get that back. I did a fair bit of that in the Premiership. That was last year. Hopefully, I can play well tomorrow and really push my case.

“I am just dying to get back out there in a white shirt and hopefully than can lead to me getting back in the Test squad.

“It’s felt a bit weird being the new boy again. I’ve been around for about four years and it feels a bit strange. It has been great to fit in and I’ve been given my first chance to show what I can do now. Hopefully, I can play well and really push for a place in the squad.”

AUSTRALIA have named an unchanged side for Saturday’s Second Test against Wales although prop Sekope Kepu will be monitored ahead of the match in Melbourne.

Kepu strained a tendon in his forearm during last weekend’s 27-19 victory but managed to play all of the game. Coach Robbie Deans said: “We are hopeful Keps will be good to go but we do have a contingency plan in place.”

New Zealand flanker Victor Vito will miss Saturday’s Second Test against Ireland with a knee injury.

Adam Thomson, who replaced Vito when he limped off during the All Blacks’ 42-10 First Test win, will start in the No6 jersey in Christchurch.

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