Six Nations
No Care for England after bust
2012-01-04 11:58
London - Scrumhalf Danny Care has been left
out of England's Six Nations training squad after being arrested for
drink driving, the Rugby Football Union said on Wednesday.
It was
Care's second alcohol-related incident in three weeks after he was
arrested and fined for being drunk and disorderly in the early hours of
December 10, following Harlequin's European Cup defeat to Toulouse.
Although Care was also fined a "substantial" amount by his club, England took no further disciplinary action on that occasion.
But
after the latest incident over the festive season, England interim
coach Stuart Lancaster decided to come down strongly on the 25-year-old,
who missed the World Cup with a foot injury but was certain of a place
in England's Six Nations plans.
The squad will be announced on January 11.
Lancaster
has met with Care, told him his behaviour was not what was expected of
an England player and that he will not be included in either the senior
or Saxons squads.
Care's management company released a statement on their website, www.bigredmanagement.com.
It
read: "I do accept that I made a very bad decision on the evening in
question and need to take the punishment that the courts hand out.
"I
have decided not to contest the charge as I want to bring this to a
close swiftly rather than have it hanging over my head for a year or
more.
"I would stress though that at no time did I think I had
drunk enough to be over the legal limit. However I should not have got
into the car and have to accept the consequences of that action.
"I
am devastated not to be selected for the Elite Player Squad for the Six
Nations as I felt I had been playing near the top of my game with
Quins."