The Springbok rival that's kept Danny Care's England World Cup dream alive
Scrumhalf Danny Care is taking inspiration from Faf de Klerk’s return from test exile to power his bid to help England win the World Cup in Japan.
De Klerk used his outstanding form for Sale to convince in-coming Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus to bring him back from the test wilderness last year and the scrumhalf has become absolutely vital to South Africa’s bid for another Cup triumph in Japan.
Care will go head-to-head with de Klerk when fourth placed Harlequins face Sale, in sixth, in a key Gallagher Premiership clash on Friday night knowing England head coach Eddie Jones is constantly watching.
Jones dropped Care for the Six Nations opting for Dan Robson, now out with blood clots in his leg, and Saracens Ben Spencer to back up Ben Youngs while Richard Wigglesworth is also in the mix. Care played in just one pool game during England’s disastrous 2015 World Cup campaign and knows Japan will be his last chance of glory. Care told RugbyPass: “It would be my last shot at a World Cup and I do feel I have never had a proper crack at one and so I am desperate to be there and desperate to win the World Cup.”
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The frustrations of four years ago are bubbling under the surface and adding to Care’s desire to prove he deserves to regain the England No.9 jersey just as de Klerk did with the Springboks. Care is a big fan of de Klerk’s play as it revolves around a scrumhalf prepared to back his own judgement.
Care said: “Faf is the kind of player I like to watch and the type of player I like to be. We have had a couple of good battles already and I am looking forward to going up against him again on Friday night. In a way I see little bit of me in him when I first came onto the scene, tapping everything and having a go. I enjoy watching him because that is how I think a scrumhalf should play and the team revolves around Faf because he sets the tempo. Every time he plays he has a good game.
“From the moment Faf came over I really liked what was about as a scrumhalf and the fact he doesn’t think too much, plays on instinct and backs himself. That is probably his biggest strength and he backs his decision making. We are fully aware of the danger he poses and will have to defend well against him. Sale are always physical and they will try and make it very tough. We have to go there and impose our game on Sale and try and get what would be an important win.”
England are in a unique position being able to call upon two scrumhalves with more than 80 caps each with record holder Youngs on 85 and Care with 84. Only New Zealand come anywhere close to matching that kind of test experience through Aaron Smith (82) and TJ Perenara (55). Will Genia has 100 caps for Australia but is out on his own like Ireland’s Conor Murray (72) and Greig Laidlaw, of Scotland, with 71.
Care believes he forms a good partnership with Youngs whose Leicester team are struggling to find their form. “I have been around a while and I think I know how to win big games with my experience” added Care. “We have got lots of experience with me and Ben and it’s worked before as a combination and I admire and respect him as a player.
“We bounce off each other and all I can do is wait to see what happens, but I believe I can add to the team and offer something for the World Cup and I will be trying my hardest to make the coaches pick me.
“I had a chat to Eddie Jones last week following the Saracens game and he wants to see me playing well and we will then see what happens in the summer. All I can focus on is myself and put my hand up for selection and I believe I can offer things different to the other scrumhalves around. I need to play well for Quins to improve my chances of getting in the World Cup squad which is my aim.
Comments on RugbyPass
Lets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
10 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
10 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to comments