Care to complete sporting journey

Former Sheffield Wednesday soccer player Danny Care is set to make his first Test start against New Zealand on Saturday – just six years after being told he was too small to play the eleven-man game.

Former Sheffield Wednesday soccer player Danny Care is set to make his first Test start against New Zealand – just six years after being told he was too small to play the eleven-man game.

And Care believes the disappointment of being cut from the Owls academy as a fifteen-year-old has played a major part in his rapid rise to England honours this Saturday.

Instead of looking forward to a season in the Championship, Care is gearing up for a clash with the All Blacks in Christchurch. Not a bad swap.

“I left Sheffield Wednesday when I was about fifteen. The new academy manager came in and said: 'He's too small. He can't play football',” explained Care.

“My dream was to play professional football and it was very frustrating at the time because I felt I was good enough to be playing.

“But I have taken that with me and it gives me motivation to never give up.”

Care decided to try his hand at rugby, which he had played as a schoolboy fly-half, and his rise to England honours has been rapid.

Within eighteen months of leaving Wednesday, Care had signed for the Leeds rugby academy and a year further on from that came his first XV debut for the club as a fly-half.

“My debut was in Europe against Valladolid. I broke my leg in the same game,” said Care.

Care moved from Leeds to Harlequins in 2006 and his spiky, high-tempo rugby kept England's World Cup final scrum-half Andy Gomarsall out of the team at Quins this season.

After just seventeen Premiership starts, Care made his Test debut off the bench in last weekend's 37-20 defeat to the All Blacks in Auckland.

England did not concede a point when he was on the field – “I'd like to say that was down to me!” – and it was Care's cross-kick which set up Topsy Ojo for his second try.

However, the nine feels he may need to tone down his natural exuberance on Saturday in the face of an All Blacks side that will ruthlessly punish any mistakes.

“I think I will have to play a little bit differently, especially with the likes of McCaw and Rodney So'oialo after me,” said Care.

“I think I need to be a bit more conservative because one mistake against New Zealand and you are seven points down. But if it is on then I will try it.

“As a scrum-half you have to be in the face and always talking. Andrew Ellis did that well for New Zealand last week and I will try and do the same.

“I was nervous last week but I settled into it and I am really looking forward to starting this weekend.”

Care played with Toby Flood, who is starting at fly-half, at U21 level two years ago and he is confident the key partnerships will bed in quickly.

“We are going out there to try and right a few wrongs from last week,” said Care.

“I got a buzz off the haka and it really geed me up.”