Care is up for new challenge to regain No 9 shirt

Everywhere Danny Care looks, another scrum-half wants to take the England No 9 shirt.

It was his 24 months ago, and again 12 months later, but the 23-year-old Leeds-born play-maker has been sat kicking his heels on the bench at Twickenham this November as Youngs and company ushered in a promising new era.

It was a development symptomatic of his two-plus years in the England fold – in and out of the team either by injury, indiscipline or as is the case now, someone in better form than him, namely Leicester's Youngs.

Care, though, is not too downhearted about it. He has made a name for himself as a fighter, ever since Sheffield Wednesday told the then 15-year-old that a life in football was not for him.

Six years later he was earning his first England cap against the mighty All Blacks in Auckland after putting his football disappointment to one side by hastening his rugby education at Prince Edward Grammar School, West Park Bramhope, Otley and Leeds Tykes.

Now, as New Zealand hoves into view again with the World Cup less than 10 months away, he has another fight on his hands.

"It is frustrating watching on, you want to be on the field playing," he said behind a rueful grin in the aftermatch of last Saturday's defeat to the Springboks, a game in which he earned his 25th cap, and fourth of the autumn, all of which came from the bench.

"All I can do is come on and make an impact which I feel as though I have done every game this month. I'm happy with what I've contributed."

Supplanting Youngs might not be easy, such is the praise the 21-year-old has received.

The Tigers No 9 was lauded for injecting snap, pace and purpose into England's game. His age points to many years at the helm, just as Care's did two years ago, and he has been included in many pundits' Autumn Internationals select team.

But Care has won over the critics before, notably in 2009 when his response to losing his start in the Six Nations to the recently-retired Ellis due to injury was a needless barge on Stephen Ferris in the game against Ireland that led to severe reprimands from both the coaching staff and the media.

By the summer he was back in the starting role against Argentina after putting the controversy behind him with stellar performances at Harlequins, with Hodgson – whom he lost the start to 12 months ago – left in his wake in the Six Nations this year, when Care started every game.

However, Care's last start came in the defeat to Australia in the first Test of the summer tour, after which Youngs took over and England have not looked back.

With two months until the start of the Six Nations in Wales on February 4, Care has again got to go back and put in the hard yards with his club.

"Even when I get back to Harlequins, Carl Dixon is wearing the No 9 shirt so I've got a challenge on my hands there as well," he joked.

"But that's the aim for me now, it's a big opportunity to go back to Quins and, hopefully, I can

get some games under my belt. I'm looking forward to the challenge."

Care and Youngs are similar scrum-halves, fleet-footed, dynamic and quick-thinking, providing England with the kind of energy they crave in such a pivotal position.

Very little changed about England's rhythm when Care replaced Youngs in each of the four games this month and in order to win back the shirt once again, the Yorkshireman feels he must stay true to his principles and be patient, rather than changing his game to try to offer something different.

He said: "I'll stick to my own game, Ben and I are very similar players, I'll concentrate on myself and keep getting better and better.

"The England management want us to play like that, the dynamic scrum-half, it suits my game very well and it suits Ben's.

"It's a similar game plan at Quins and if I keep playing like that at my club then, hopefully, I will be rewarded in the long run with England.

"But I'm chuffed for Ben, he's a great lad and a great player and so, hopefully, we can keep pushing ourselves and get the best out of each other."

Defeat to the Springboks clipped the momentum England had been building over the autumn, yet Care believes they will still head into the Six Nations in good heart.

"It was disappointing to lose, you always want to win your final game, but overall from the series we've gained a lot of confidence," said Care, who added that thoughts of the World Cup take a back seat to more immediate matters for the England select.

"So overall we're happy, just disappointed to end it with defeat.

"It didn't take the gloss off the Australia performance but having said that you always want to win the final game to keep building the momentum.

"In patches, I think we showed we still have momentum, but as Johnno (Martin Johnson) says it's about performing for 80 minutes and that's what we didn't put in.

"We will come back stronger for the Six Nations, though, we will be confident and up for the challenge."

It is a challenge, both personal and collective, Care will be relishing.

CARE AND HIS ENGLAND RIVALS

Battle for the england No 9 shirt:

Danny Care, 23, Harlequins, Caps 25, Starts 14, Tries 1, Wins 10, Defeats 14, Draws 1

Ben Youngs, 21, Leicester, Caps 7, Starts 5, Tries 1, Wins 3, Defeats 3, Draws 1

Paul Hodgson, 28, London Irish, Caps 9, Starts 2, Tries 0, Wins 5, Defeats 4, Draws 0

Joe Simpson, 22, Wasps, Caps O

Richard Wigglesworth, 27, Sale, Caps 5, Starts 4, Tries 1, Won 3, Lost 2, Drawn 0

Out of the picture:

Harry Ellis, 28, retired due to a knee injury in July 2010.