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Danny Care

Care representing Harlequins during the Aviva Premiership

Full name

Daniel Stuart Care

Date of birth

2 January 1987 (age 38)

Place of birth

Leeds, England

Height

1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)

Weight

85 kg (187 lb; 13 st 5 lb)

School

Prince Henry's Grammar School

Rugby union career

Senior career
Position(s)	Scrum-half, Fly-half
Current team	Harlequins
Years	Team	Apps	(Points)
2004–2006	Leeds Tykes	13	(26)
2006–2025	Harlequins	394	(594)
Correct as of 18 May 2025
National team(s)
Years	Team	Apps	(Points)
2006	England U19	6	(20)
2006-2007	England U21	9	(13)
2008–2022	England XV	7	(15)
2008–2024	England	101	(84)
Correct as of 16 March 2024
National sevens team(s)
Years	Team		Comps
2006–2008	England		7
Correct as of 8 May 2024

Daniel Stuart Care (born 2 January 1987) is a famous English rugby union player. He played as a scrum-half for the Harlequins club and the England national team. He is known for his quick thinking and exciting style of play.

Early Life and Rugby Beginnings

Care was born in Leeds, West Yorkshire. He started playing rugby union at age six with his local club, West Park Bramhope RUFC. When he was eleven, he joined the Academy at Sheffield Wednesday Football Club to play football.

He continued to play rugby at Prince Henry's Grammar School, Otley. In 2000, he helped his school win the Under-13 Yorkshire Cup. After leaving the football academy, he focused on rugby. He was soon chosen for Yorkshire Schools' Under-15s.

Playing for England Youth Teams

The next season, Care played for Yorkshire and the North of England. He made his debut for England Schools' Under-16s in April 2003. He also helped Prince Henry's win another Yorkshire Cup at Under-16s.

Care joined the Leeds Tykes academy in 2003. That season, Leeds won the National Under-19 Colts Cup. Care was named the Tykes' Players' Young Player of the Year. He also helped his school win the Daily Mail Under-18 Vase at Twickenham.

He played 20 times for England's youth teams between 2003 and 2007. He also played for England sevens in the 2004 Commonwealth Youth Games in Australia.

Club Rugby Career

Starting with Leeds Tykes

In 2003, Care played his first game for Leeds Tykes in a friendly match. He was part of Team England in the rugby sevens at the 2004 Commonwealth Youth Games. England won a silver medal, and Care was the top try scorer with seven tries.

He made his official debut for Leeds in a European Challenge Shield game. He scored a try and kicked four conversions before getting injured. In December 2004, Care signed his first professional contract with Leeds.

After finishing school, Care joined Leeds full-time. He got early chances to play for the first team. He made his Guinness Premiership debut in September 2005. He also scored his first senior try and won his first man-of-the-match award.

Moving to Harlequins

Early Years at Harlequins (2006–2010)

In 2006, Care signed a three-year contract with Harlequins. He worked hard to earn his spot as the starting scrum-half. He made his first Premiership start for Harlequins in January 2007.

The 2007–08 season gave Care more chances to play. He was shortlisted for the Guinness Premiership Young Player of the Year Award. In the 2008–09 season, Harlequins finished second in the Premiership. Care was again shortlisted for the PRA Young Player of the Year Award. He signed new contracts to stay with Harlequins until 2013.

Harlequins Success (2010–2012)

Care had a very successful season with Harlequins in 2010–11. The club won the Amlin Challenge Cup, a big European rugby competition. Care played a key role in the final, helping his team win 19–18. This win helped Harlequins qualify for the Heineken Cup.

In the 2011–12 season, Care helped Harlequins achieve their best season ever. They became English champions for the first time. Care played in the final at Twickenham, where Harlequins beat Leicester 30–23. Many people praised his performance in that game. He signed another contract to stay with Harlequins until 2016.

Continued Club Play (2012–Present)

Care continued to be a vital player for Harlequins. In 2013, he made his 100th Premiership appearance. He was also nominated for the Aviva Premiership Rugby Player of the Year Award.

In June 2021, Care won his second Premiership title with Harlequins. They won a thrilling final 40–38. In April 2024, Care helped Harlequins win their first ever knockout game in the Champions Cup. He signed a new one-year deal to stay with Harlequins for the 2024–25 season.

International Rugby Career

England Sevens Team

In 2006, Care joined the senior England Sevens team. He made his debut in New Zealand. England won their first ever Cup title in the USA leg of the IRB Sevens.

Care also played for Team England at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. He won a silver medal there. This made him the only England rugby player to win medals at both the Commonwealth Youth Games and the senior Commonwealth Games.

Playing for England

Early England Caps (2006–2010)

Care played for the England Under-19 team and helped them finish third in the IRB Under-19 World Championship. He then captained the England Under-21 team in 2007.

In 2008, Care was called up to the England training squad. He made his debut for the England senior team in New Zealand. He scored his first try for England in his first start.

He became the starting scrum-half for England in the Autumn Internationals of 2008. He played in the 2009 RBS 6 Nations, helping England win the Calcutta Cup against Scotland. He also played in games against Argentina. In 2010, he started all five games in the RBS 6 Nations.

World Cup Hopes and Return (2010–2012)

Care was part of the England squad that toured Australia and New Zealand in 2010. He played in the first Test against Australia.

In 2011, Care was part of the England squad that won the 2011 RBS 6 Nations Championship. He was named in England's training squad for the Rugby World Cup. However, an injury kept him from playing in the World Cup.

He returned to the England squad for a tour to South Africa in 2012. He started the final Test and was named man of the match after scoring England's only try.

Later England Career (2012–2024)

Care continued to play for England in the Autumn Internationals of 2012. He was part of the team that beat world champions New Zealand for the first time in nine years.

He played in the 2013 RBS 6 Nations championship, scoring a try against Scotland. He was named in the England Elite Player Squad for the following season.

After the 2024 Six Nations, where England finished second, Care announced his retirement from international rugby.

Career Statistics

List of International Tries

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	21 June 2008	AMI Stadium, Christchurch, New Zealand	New Zealand	5–23	12–44	2008 June rugby union tests
2	6 February 2010	Twickenham Stadium, London, England	Wales	18–0	30–17	2010 Six Nations Championship
3	12 February 2011	Twickenham Stadium, London, England	Italy	40–6	59–13	2011 Six Nations Championship
4	23 June 2012	Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth, South Africa	South Africa	8–3	14–14	2012 June rugby union tests
5	2 February 2013	Twickenham Stadium, London, England	Scotland	36–18	38–18	2013 Six Nations Championship
6	22 February 2014	Twickenham Stadium, London, England	Ireland	11–10	13–10	2014 Six Nations Championship
7	9 March 2014	Twickenham Stadium, London, England	Wales	5–0	29–18	2014 Six Nations Championship
8	19 March 2016	Stade de France, Paris, France	France	8–3	31–21	2016 Six Nations Championship
9	26 February 2017	Twickenham Stadium, London, England	Italy	10–10	35–16	2017 Six Nations Championship
10	11 March 2017	Twickenham Stadium, London, England	Scotland	52–21	61–21	2017 Six Nations Championship
11	11 March 2017	Twickenham Stadium, London, England	Scotland	59–21	61–21	2017 Six Nations Championship
12	17 June 2017	Estadio Brigadier General Estanisla López, Santa Fe, Argentina	Argentina	23–18	35–25	2017 England rugby union tour of Argentina
13	18 November 2017	Twickenham Stadium, London, England	Australia	30–6	30–6	2017 end-of-year rugby union internationals
14	17 November 2018	Twickenham Stadium, London, England	Japan	5–0	35–15	2018 end-of-year rugby union internationals
15	7 October 2023	Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille, France	Samoa	16–17	18–17	2023 Rugby World Cup