From The Telegraph
Danny Care tipped to be left-field Lions selection after he puts on a show for Warren Gatland
Care has not played international rugby since being dropped in 2018 but is comfortably the form scrum-half in the Premiership
By Daniel Schofield, DEPUTY RUGBY UNION CORRESPONDENT 28 March 2021 • 3:56pm
Harlequins duo Danny Care and Alex Dombrandt were unable to prevent defeat to Bristol CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES
Danny Care bears all the hallmarks to be a left-field British and Irish Lions selection, Harlequins assistant coach Adam Jones believes, after his performance against Bristol.
Warren Gatland, the Lions head coach, was in the stands at Ashton Gate to watch the scrum-half deliver a masterclass in game management and opportunism. He mugged Bristol No 8 Ben Earl for a try in the first half before pulling off a collector’s item dropped goal in the second.
Care has not played international rugby since being replaced against Japan in the 2018 autumn internationals with his face no longer fitting with England head coach Eddie Jones. But, at 34, Care is playing as well as ever and is comfortably the form scrum-half in the Premiership.
Jones, who won the majority of his 95 Wales caps under Gatland, knows the former Wales head coach better than most and believes Care’s lack of international rugby will not prevent a first Lions call-up.
“DC’s been brilliant,” Jones said. “He is controlling the game really well. There are a few good Welsh scrum-halves out there, but I’m sure he could sneak on the tour because he’s doing well. Gats goes pretty left field with some selections. He’s in with a shout. Gats will pick on form, I’m sure. If DC’s the form nine in the Britain and Ireland then he’ll go, regardless of his age. He will be fantastic.”
Harlequins blew a 12-point lead in the second half as a late penalty try and converted score by prop Kyle Sinckler maintained Bristol’s habit of snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. Harlequins still impressed, however, with other senior citizens full back Mike Brown and loosehead Joe Marler also catching the eye - and potentially Gatland’s attention.
“DC’s been brilliant but so have Browny and Marler,” Jones said. “Marler can still be playing test matches and Browny is proving now that he could still be playing Test matches. He’s a solid defensive full back, like a Lee Byrne or a Leigh Halfpenny. He’s doing the basics very well and he is an absolute pain in the a--- over the ball for us. He’s doing some real good stuff for Quins. Joe is one of the best scrummaging looseheads in the world.
“They’re all incredibly professional. Their skinfolds are really low and they’re playing well. If that’s the way he goes, then they won’t let anyone down.”
