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Esterhuizen explains why Care should be back with England ASAP
Andre Esterhuizen has backed calls for Danny Care – his on-fire Harlequins colleague – to be recalled to the England set-up by Eddie Jones as soon as possible. While awaiting his own likely recall to the Springboks, for whom he hasn’t played since 2019, the midfielder has joined the chorus looking for the veteran scrum-half to get his first look-in with England since 2018.
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It was against Japan four years ago when the now 35-year-old Care won the last of his 84 Test caps but he has been in irresistible form in recent times during the revival that resulted in Harlequins winning last year’s Gallagher Premiership title.
Ahead of this Saturday’s league semi-final at Saracens, Esterhuizen has made a guest appearance on the latest edition of The Rugby Pod and has given his support to the campaign wanting Care recalled to the England squad for their upcoming tour to Australia.
“He should definitely be in the England squad, he’s probably the best nine I have played with ever,” said Esterhuizen. “I’d say that about Marcus as well (as the No10).
“Danny should definitely be in the England squad. We can’t pick the squad, we can’t say who to pick but if I was the coach he’d be my first choice scrum-half. He is an amazing player, he knows how to read a game, he cleans the rucks quick and it’s always a little bit of magic.”
Aside from playing for Harlequins and seeking Test level recalls for their respective countries, Esterhuizen revealed he had one other particular thing in common with Care – a hair transplant. “Yes, that is true. I’m probably going to have to go for another one in a few years’ time. We’ll see what happens.”
Switching to his South African mindset and how he managed to overcome its conservative approach to invest in the all-out Harlequins attack philosophy, Esterhuizen continued: “In South Africa, if you get a penalty you take the three whereas here you never ever take the three. Our mindset is always to go for the try.
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“It was quite a big mindset change because I’m standing on the pitch and going, ‘Just take the three points’ and then they go for the corner. It has worked most of the time, so I’m glad to see that and my mindset has changed. I like to go to the corner as well now. I’m enjoying it, it’s fun, it’s entertaining.”
Ezterhuizen also gave his seal of approval to the decision that will see three of the South African club sides participate next season for the first time in the Heineken Champions Cup. “That is going to be massive for them,” he reckoned.
“I just hope we draw the Stormers or Durban so we can get a nice trip to South Africa on the coast. It’s massive for South Africa rugby at the moment to compete against the best clubs in the world. We all know how tough the competition is. That is the best way where you actually see where you are in the world. I think it is great.”
Comments on RugbyPass
One that will start to come up from now on is penalties for back pushes during kick chase scrambles. Very difficult to detect. In Croke Park if you replay the Hendy NH try, you will see Furbank push Porter in the back, who collides with Larmour knocking the ball across into Hendy’s path to dot down. A more significant example was in the RWC QTR final where Arendse pushes Fickou into two other French players for the ball to spill into Arendse’s path for him to gather and run in to score SAs first try. Not cheating if you are not caught and very difficult to spot but with kicking becoming so critical I feel its an area that will referreeed/TMOes more.
3 Go to commentsWhat a pathetic little twit Andy Goode is, as if we care what he thinks…..😂
105 Go to commentsFoxy has been a wonderful player for the Scarlets and Wales.
1 Go to commentsNika the Georgian is the best referee in the world at the moment. Luckily we will be spared the shite SH refs and Barnes will hopefully remain retired given how shite and embarrassing he was at the RWC.
3 Go to commentsThis is the most exciting game of the summer imo, as we really won’t know in advance how both teams are going to play. - Will Robertson just reproduce his Crusaders tactics from last year, or will there be a conscious effort to borrow from the Hurricanes and Blues, and from the aspects of the ABs world cup strategy that worked well? - England under Borthwick have put in some good performances playing attacking rugby, and some good performances playing kick-oriented defensive rugby. Will Borthwick try to merge them together into a single all-court game, or will he continue switching between different approaches depending on the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition?
1 Go to commentsI’m predicting an aggregate points difference of no more than +/-10pts across both matches this series.
1 Go to commentsI’m predicting an aggregate points difference of no more than +/-10pts across both matches this series.
9 Go to commentsFinals are always tense affairs for the players so I do not expect this to be a spectacle of running rugby unfortunately.
3 Go to commentsBulls***': Ex-England international calls out Eben Etzebeth… Not to his face but from very far away… after he’d left. Checked to make sure he wasn’t in the building.
105 Go to commentsHopefully this will mean a new Auckland league team to support in the west. Big Warriors fan but it’s very, very stale on that front and I’d like the option of another team if it was to watch league again. League needs to step up BIG time if its to get anywhere, another AK team and something from the capitol or south is a must for the game.
3 Go to commentsGood, deep interview, nice job Frankie!
1 Go to commentsNRL players don’t have anywhere near the number of Tests. Some people would be happy having Rest Homes full if 40 yo ex-players walking, or hobbling more like it, into walls. It’s just a game!
4 Go to commentsNOW Razor is worried about ABs getting injured or overplayed! Didn’t bother him last year. He happily played his AB Crusaders.
4 Go to commentsWhat is the World Rugby U20 players born year.
2 Go to commentsMuch like the Chiefs finally gave up waiting for Atu Moli to ever not be injured, you have to wonder if the Chiefs and Crusaders will let Josh Lord and Ethan Blackadder go next season. They’re being well paid to sit in the injury ward every year. Better off putting those funds towards someone who might actually play.
7 Go to commentsShowed better basic skills than some nz Super sides, who probably would have botched some of those backline moves. This tournament really is too short though. Needs more teams, or have them play two rounds to properly prepare them for the near full-time NH U20 sides.
4 Go to commentsGood grief it’s only six months. Probably just upset it’s not an established kiwi entering their prime they can “project” into green to join the rest.
3 Go to commentsGood player but far from being best in the world. That's an exaggeration. Perhaps Best in world by Northern Hemisphere standards and biasis but certainly not Southern Hemi standards
3 Go to commentsWell one thing about World Cup knock out rounds and Ireland is very clear: they won’t be getting ahead of themselves in ‘27! Because making it beyond the QF is well and truly ‘IN THEIR HEADS’ now…😉
105 Go to commentsHas this guy been dope tested? Sounds like a case of “roid rage”.
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