The list of England’s men’s Test centurions is STACKED with legends of the game

Dylan Coetzee
Split with England trio Danny Care, Owen Farrell and Jason Leonard.

Split with England trio Danny Care, Owen Farrell and Jason Leonard.

England’s dramatic win over Ireland in Round Four of the Six Nations was not only a memorable result but a massive occasion for Danny Care who notched up 100 caps for his country.

The scrum-half became the sixth men’s player to do so and joined a list of greats to reach the milestone.

Planet Rugby takes a close look at those who have hit a century of caps for the Red Rose, beginning with the latest to achieve it, Care himself.

Danny Care

The Harlequins man debuted for England in 2008 against New Zealand at Eden Park after a short stint on the Sevens circuit in and around appearances for England Saxons and England XV.

It would not take long for Care to settle into the squad where he was a mainstay for a long period of time as he operated in tandem with fellow centurion Ben Youngs.

During his time on the field for the Red Rose, the scrum-half managed three Six Nations titles, in 2011, 2016 and 2017, whilst adding a 2023 Rugby World Cup bronze medal to the equation.

Care is a legend of the sport and his longevity is a testament to how professional he is. The one club man will go down in history as one of England’s greatest players.

Courtney Lawes

The last man before Care to notch up three figures and a player England have struggled to replace since his retirement after the 2023 World Cup.

Lawes debuted for England a year after Care but was a consistent name on the starting team sheet throughout his career, notching up 105 appearances with five more for the British & Irish Lions.

The second-row/back-row hybrid enjoyed massive success with three Six Nations titles, in 2016, 2017 and 2020, whilst claiming silver and bronze in the 2019 and 2023 World Cups respectively.

Lawes was also a key leader for the Red Rose in the latter stages of his career, captaining England for the first time in 2021.

Dan Cole

Interestingly, Cole made his debut after both Lawes and Care in the 2010 Six Nations, coming on as a replacement in the opening round before starting the rest of the competition.

His rise in the Red Rose jersey continued as he played at the 2011 World Cup – the same year he won the Six Nations. Cole would continue to consistently represent England with his 50 caps milestone coming in 2015.

Cole suffered a dip in form in 2018 that saw him being dropped but he quickly returned to the side in time for the 2019 World Cup.

The prop finished with three Six Nations titles, in 2011, 2016 and 2017, alongside his runners-up medal at the World Cup in Japan in 2019 and bronze last year.

Chris Robshaw’s Six Nations Team of the Week: Ben Earl the standout but Italy’s super six dominate

Owen Farrell

One of England’s greatest players and a true servant to the game in the country. Farrell’s journey to 112 caps started in 2012 and looks to have come to an end with him stepping away from Test rugby and moving to Racing 92 next season.

Farrell is England’s leading all-time points scorer with 1,237 points – an amazing feat that has him behind only All Black great Dan Carter in the overall all-time points scoring list.

Whether it was at fly-half or centre, Farrell was a general in the colour of the Red Rose, winning them boatloads of games with a lot of those just about single-handedly. He was a truly remarkable player at the highest level and an outstanding leader in every sense of the word.

There is always the chance he could return to the Test fold, albeit a slim one, but his Test career to date has produced three Six Nations titles including a Grand Slam in 2016 as well as silver and bronze in the 2019 and 2023 World Cups.

Jason Leonard

The pioneer in many ways, Leonard was the first Englishman to reach a century of caps having begun his Test career in 1990 before the sport became professional. The prop would show impressive longevity, carrying his career to 2004 with a total of 114 caps.

Leonard’s career was highly decorated, earning an MBE for his services to rugby. The legend would also be awarded an OBE after taking part in England’s sole Rugby World Cup triumph in Australia in 2003.

He also served as the President of the Rugby Football Union between 2015-2016, showcasing his commitment to the sport in England.

Ben Youngs

The 114 of Leonard stood for some time until Youngs came into the equation, smashing the record and ending up with a grand total of 127 appearances, making him the most capped Englishman in the history of rugby union.

Youngs debuted in 2010 and never looked back as he was involved with the England set-up just about throughout his career until he called it quits in 2023 after bagging a bronze medal at the Rugby World Cup.

The scrum-half was central to a lot of good that came out of England during his playing career, including starting 15 of the Red Rose’s record 18-game win streak under Eddie Jones – showcasing how vital he was for his country.

READ MORE: Chris Robshaw’s Six Nations Team of the Week: Ben Earl the standout but Italy’s super six dominate

England Danny Care

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