Danny Care axed by England as former Doncaster Knights ace returns

DANNY CARE has been dropped by England for Saturday's final Quilter International against Australia.
Danny Care goes on the attack against Japan (PA)Danny Care goes on the attack against Japan (PA)
Danny Care goes on the attack against Japan (PA)

The former Leeds Tykes scrum-half made a rare start against Japan last weekend and scored the opening try in the Red Rose’s laboured 35-15 win.

Care - a mainstay of Eddie Jones’ squad and his country’s most capped scrum-half with 84 appearances - is ordinarily on the bench with Ben Youngs donning the No9 jersey.

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They were expected to revert to that scenario for Saturday’s game against the Wallabies at Twickenham but the 31-year-old has been left out of the 28-man training squad completely.

England's Danny Care scores against Japan (PA)England's Danny Care scores against Japan (PA)
England's Danny Care scores against Japan (PA)

Leeds-born Care has been sent back to his club Harlequins with Saracens’ Richard Wigglesworth - who replaced him on the hour mark against Japan - keeping his spot to face the Aussies.

Jones has also left out Halifax-born Zach Mercer, the Bath No8 who was also dropped after his debut against South Africa earlier this autumn, as well as former Leeds Carnegie star Alex Lozowski who started at centre on Saturday.

Wasps No8 Nathan Hughes returns to the squad after serving his six-week ban for punching and conduct prejudicial to the interest of the game while Northampton fly-half Piers Francis - who played for Doncaster Knights in 2014-15 - is also recalled.

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Manu Tuilagi is retained offering hope the injury-jinxed centre could finally make his first appearance of the autumn.

ENGLAND'S 28-MAN TRAINING SQUAD

FORWARDS: Charlie Ewels, Jamie George, Dylan Hartley, Alec Hepburn, Ted Hill, Nathan Hughes, Maro Itoje, Courtney Lawes, Ben Moon, Brad Shields, Kyle Sinckler, Elliott Stooke, Sam Underhill, Harry Williams, Mark Wilson

BACKS: Chris Ashton, Joe Cokanasiga, Elliot Daly, Owen Farrell, George Ford, Piers Francia, Jonny May, Jack Nowell, Henry Slade, Ben Te'o, Manu Tuilagi, Richard Wigglesworth, Ben Youngs