Lack of Care costs Danny his place the England squad

The English rugby team have decided that 2012 will be very different than 2011 so they have kicked Danny Care out of their squad for bad behaviour.

The Harlequins scrum half was arrested for drunk driving over Christmas and this was the issue that saw the RFU call time on his England career.

It was the second-drink related incident in three weeks, as Care was fined by his club for being drunk and disorderly after being arrested on December 10 after a game against Toulouse.

After the scandal filled World Cup, England are determined to be a cleaner outfit this time and even though Care has not yet been convicted, he has been cut from both the elite squad and the second-tier Saxon squad.

Care was suitably contrite in a statement released this morning.

“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," he said.

“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.”

Care’s absence is definitely a blow for England, who now will turn to Ben Youngs to lead them through their defence of the Six Nations title, starting next month.