Care future hangs by thread
DANNY CARE’S hopes of earning a place at next
year’s World Cup are hanging by a thread after he became the latest England player to be withdrawn by Eddie Jones before half-time in a Test.
The 35-year-old Harlequins scrum-half was replaced by Jack Van Poortvliet in the 37th minute at the Sydney Cricket Ground — ending his comeback tour in demoralising fashion.
Care had a kick charged down in the opening seconds of the third
Test and that set the tone for an uncomfortable outing, as the veteran succumbed to handling errors and defensive lapses.
After the game, head coach Jones confirmed that the removal of his No9 had not been due to any injury, and said: ‘It was tactical.
We were always going to use the two [scrum-halves] for 80 minutes, so that is not something that is unusual.’ Pressed on the fact that the change came so early, Jones said: ‘You usually go 55-25, so I went 35-45.’
Care was recalled last month after almost four years in Test exile, but after an encouraging cameo against the Barbarians at Twickenham, he was unable to impose his high-tempo game as England lost the series opener in Perth.
He was a replacement in Brisbane and was restored to the starting XV for Sydney as Jones believed the match would suit Care’s attributes. It did not pan out that way, which will not aid his prospects of extending his career to the next World Cup.
When England last toured Australia six years ago, Jones illustrated his ruthless streak in the first and third Tests when he replaced replacing Luther Burrell and Teimana Harrison respectively before half-time. Burrell never played for England again. Two years later, Nick Isiekwe became the next England player to suffer a first-half exit.