Care’s behaviour “unacceptable” (From The Northern Echo)

Care’s behaviour “unacceptable”

4:21pm Thursday 5th January 2012 in International Rugby News

DANNY CARE has heaped further shame on English rugby after being arrested for drink driving and excluded from the Six Nations squad.

England’s interim head coach Stuart Lancaster took the decision after Care was arrested on New Year’s Day, three weeks after he had been fined by police for being drunk and disorderly.

The Harlequins scrum-half will plead guilty when he appears in court on January 16 and yesterday admitted his shame, regret and devastation over the incident.

When Lancaster was appointed as Martin Johnson’s temporary replacement, he vowed to crack down on discipline in the national squad.

England’s World Cup campaign was dogged by off-field scandal, including an infamous drunken night out in Queenstown which led to Mike Tindall being fined £15,000.

Lancaster has told Care he will not be considered for England selection until after the Six Nations and until he has proven he is trustworthy.

“I have met Danny and told him that he will not be considered for selection,” said Lancaster, who had reprimanded Care after his arrest last month.

“This is his second arrest in three weeks for alcohol-related offences and it is completely unacceptable.

“At such a time that we feel he can be trusted to behave appropriately on and off the field then he will be reconsidered for selection, but this will not be until the conclusion of the Six Nations as a minimum.”

Lancaster is due to name his Six Nations squad on January 11, and there is a strong possibility it will include the Scarlets number eight Ben Morgan after he declared his international allegiance to England.

Care was a certain pick before the latest incident. He missed the World Cup with a foot injury but has been in prime form for Harlequins and was pushing Ben Youngs to reclaim the England scrumhalf jersey.

Lancaster first coached Care in the Leeds academy and knows his family well, but all sentiment was put to one side.