1
The Danny Care verdict on 'hybrid' contracts for England players
England veteran Danny Care has shared his thoughts on the mooted hybrid contracts that would change the way Steve Borthwick is able to manage the national team in the next Rugby World Cup cycle.
ADVERTISEMENT
The English game is currently hugely financially challenged with three Gallagher Premiership clubs – Wasps, Worcester and London Irish – all going to the wall in the past year and the RFU came in for further criticism of its funding when Championship champions Jersey last week fell into administration as well.
It has since been reported that there are negotiations ongoing about the national team management being able to have more input regarding a Test player’s conditioning, game time and position at his club, a development that would see the RFU pay a larger sum than the current amount of £40,000 awarded to clubs for every player supplied to England’s elite player squad.
Such a change would represent a huge alteration to the English system, given the power the clubs have wielded on the players since the game turned pro nearly 30 years ago.
The 36-year-old Care hadn’t seen the reports about hybrid contacts but he would be in favour of anything that collectively boosts the club game in tandem with the Test side.
“I’ll be honest with you, I didn’t see it but is there one available for me? I haven’t seen it, to be honest,” he quipped at Le Touquet-Paris-Plage on Tuesday after England training ahead of this Saturday’s pool finale versus Samoa in Lille.
“The administrators I am sure are looking into ways of keeping the best English players in England. I’d be behind it if it is a good thing for the players. I’m not sure I’ll see one but we want to see English players playing in England. I am definitely right in saying that, but I haven’t seen the article so I am not sure.
ADVERTISEMENT
“England needs to have the best players playing in England. If there are ways we can do that which might help the club game as well, help the clubs to be sustainable, more sustainable, the players would be on board with that. Hopefully, they can sort that one out.”
Care was wary about comparing England to Ireland, the world’s No1-ranked side where the wages of the frontline Test players are all 100 per cent paid by the IRFU via a central contract system for 15 to 20 of its stars.
“The Irish structure is completely different to what we have got in England. Now with the club game going down to 10 teams, there is automatically going to be less games for the lads.
“I have always pushed and been an advocate for Premiership games to not be played during the Six Nations windows. Fans, clubs want that, you want to see your best players playing. Clubs want to have the best players available which helps everything I sure, TV revenues, fans coming to stadiums.
ADVERTISEMENT
“They want to see Owen Farrell playing for Saracens as many times as he can so if there is ways and structures around to do that, I am all for it. I have said a few times there are a lot cleverer, smarter people than me working on these decisions. That may be debatable, but hopefully they get it right and the game in England can flourish.”
England boss Borthwick has apparently been helping to smooth relations between England and the clubs. “Steve and the coaches are doing that already behind the scenes and have been doing it since Steve took over the job.
Suited-up England get stuck into tackle practice at training in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage ahead of their Pool D finale versus Samoa next Saturday. #EnglandRugby #ENGvSAM #RWC2023 pic.twitter.com/YWKrCPZtjE
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 3, 2023
“Obviously if there is more structure to it I am sure it might help everyone but the one thing about Steve is he is working hard behind the scenes to make sure all the clubs are aligned and whatever the best thing is for the players, Steve is looking to that. I think the wheels are already in motion with that.”
Has Care, who has 92 England caps, been in a situation before where his club and country responsibilities have been awkward to balance? “When you are with England I have just tried to be all in with England and then as soon as you get back to the club, sometimes it is hard to switch back into club mode.
“I remember 2016 when I was captain of Quins I found that really tough to come back in and be asked to lead when I had not been there for eight, nine weeks. I felt like a bit of a fraud telling the lads what to do, I had not been there to experience that so maybe that would help in that respect in the captaincy or leadership type thing. That would probably be my only example where I found it tough.
“But I know lads have struggled before with long campaigns. We have been in (Rugby World Cup camp) for 16, 17 weeks, so it would be very different when you go back to your club now and lads have been there for the same amount of time. But I am loving my time here (in France), I don’t want it to end any time soon. I’d like to stay until the end of possible.”
Comments on RugbyPass
> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
2 Go to commentswhat’s happening to Ian Peel?
1 Go to commentsAs a Crusaders fan , so disappointed , again.But I think Fergus Burke was all class for the Crusaders in his first game since October last year. Fletcher Newell , was so good at prop. Johnny McNicoll has been gold since returning from Wales. Noah Hotham brilliant , in a coming of age second season for the Crusaders.Jone Rova did really well at centre. The end of the game was tough.Sevu Reece , what a game/season in tough times.
1 Go to commentsFellas a balloon
3 Go to commentsBlues B team on display and made no race of it. By far the best team in SR with the Hurricanes barely getting past the winning post. Up the Blues 💙
6 Go to commentsWould be amazing to have Servette Genève reaching this level
3 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can't buy a win this season. Surely Penney's contract won't be renewed. There's still enough talent in the squad that they oughta be winning more.
1 Go to commentsABs captain for 23 seasons. Decent record. Surely nobody will surpass it. Legend. But alas a typo…
2 Go to commentsJust FYI Rugbypass, I for one am tired of your clickbait titles and thumbnails and will be clicking them no longer. Good day.
1 Go to commentsI think Farrell despite all of the stick he gets in the media is still one of if not the best fly half in the world. He is literally the full package. He can kick one of the best in the world, probably has the best defensive game of a fly half in the world and if he wants to he can run, take contact and find an offload to keep the pace of the attack. I dont know why he isnt spoken more about still being one of the best in the world with the likes of dupont. Farrell is the ultimate captain and team leader and is experienced- he has been in nearly any situation you can think of. I still believe due to these reasons that he is England’s best ever player and is still one of the best players in the world.
48 Go to commentsBlues are dominating up front and that’s been a long time coming. They have won the up front confrontation which is where canes, hilanders and act brumbies are also strong.
6 Go to commentsJust watched brumbies v safas game sadly not a show in he’ll thryr anywhere near quarters or semi contention. Admittedly some issues around new comers bot what stands out for me is coaching management, poor game planning and accuracy.
5 Go to commentsOne tough SOB!
16 Go to commentsI’ve put on 4/5 kilos since the beginning of the season too. Not good kilos. Bad kilos.
6 Go to commentsSurely there’s a ‘no knobheads’ policy ?
3 Go to commentsWallaroos have no chance of beating the Black Ferns unless Canada upsets them in Christchurch tomorrow but I doubt that as well!
1 Go to commentsWhat a joke. Could the victim do a course to reverse the long term CTE damage from the cheapshot?
2 Go to commentsTruely great player. In social media and opinion pieces he was held up and flogged for the results. People wanted someone to crucify, and he was the captain. He was still an immense presence respected by his peers. His battles with Siya Kolisi belong up with with Collins vs Burger in my opinion. Unlucky to be carded in the final, but I don’t agree that his red card was the defining moment. Not when you look at the dominant performances of the Springboks (PSDT in particular.) I think Cane should be remembered for the spirit and physicality that is special to test rugby.
16 Go to commentsSam was the man until he got injured .
16 Go to comments_Crusaders versus Leinster _at the moment might be a rout! But I would like to see the Blues play Toulouse, the Hurricanes front up against Stade Francais, and the Chiefs go against Toulon.
157 Go to comments