Harlequins 30-23 Leicester: Care thanks support network as title win brings dream finale to a troubled season

Danny Care has thanked Conor O’Shea for his “father figure” influence that helped him through the most troubled season of his rugby career.

Care enjoyed a dream finale on Saturday, outplaying his opposite number and England scrum-half rival Ben Youngs as Harlequins lifted their first Aviva Premiership title with a thrilling 30-23 victory over Leicester at Twickenham.

Care, though, could easily have been consigned to the sporting scrapheap instead. He was ejected from the England squad after being stopped for drink-driving in the early hours of New Year’s Day, one of four arrests in the space of four months.

Two of the incidents were for urinating in public after he had been drinking, and the most recent followed an allegation of sexual assault, which Care denies. He has now given up alcohol and he will be on the plane when England head to South Africa later this week for a three-Test tour that could see him reinstated as a Test No 9.

“I think I have matured a lot as a person,” Care said. “All the guys picked me up. Conor has been like a father figure to me, John Kingston the same, and my family have been absolutely brilliant. This is for everyone who has stood by me.

“Conor has been superb for me. He has put an arm around me when I’ve needed one and really helped me on my way. I owe him an awful lot.

“There was a time when I wasn’t enjoying my rugby at all during this season, but the last few months it has been completely different. I’ve loved every minute.

“I went away and worked on my game. Kyran Bracken [former England scrum-half] has done some work with me and sharpened me up.

“To win the Premiership is a dream come true. It’s the best feeling I have had as a rugby player, and hopefully there can be many more in the years to come.”

England captain Chris Robshaw’s 57th-minute try put daylight between the sides after the first half ended 14-13 to Harlequins, the London-based club who were in disgrace just three years ago following the notorious “bloodgate” scandal.

A sixth Nick Evans penalty stretched the lead to 30-13, but Leicester centre Anthony Allen instantly reduced arrears with a try and fly-half George Ford’s penalty took the Midlands club to within seven points.

Leicester battered the Harlequins line in the hope of forcing extra time but fell short in a thrilling finish.

Harlequins winger Tom Williams, who almost quit rugby after the bloodgate incident in which he was found to have fabricated an injury with fake blood to facilitate a tactical substitution during a Heineken Cup quarter-final, had sped over for the opening try after nine minutes.

Scorers: Harlequins – Tries: Williams, Robshaw. Cons: Evans. Pens: Evans 6. Leicester – Tries: Mafi, Allen. Cons: Ford 2. Pens: Ford 3.

Harlequins: Brown; Williams, Lowe, Turner-Hall, Monye; Evans, Care; Marler, Gray, Johnston, Kohn, Robson, Fa’asavalu, Robshaw, Easter. Replacements: Buchanan, Lambert, Collier, Vallejos, Guest, Dickson, Clegg, Hopper.

Leicester: Murphy; Agulla, M Tuilagi, Allen, A Tuilagi, Ford, B Youngs, Ayerza, Chuter, Cole, Skivington, Parling, Mafi, Salvi, Waldrom. Replacements: T Youngs, Mulipola, Castrogiovanni, Kitchener, Newby, Harrison, Hamilton, Twelvetrees.