Stuart Lancaster in career warning after Danny Care’s third drink-related arrest

Care, the Harlequins scrum-half, was cautioned by British Transport police after being caught urinating on the steps of a Leeds hotel in the early hours of Saturday morning.

It is understood the 25-year-old’s arrest outside a Weybridge bar in December was related to the same offence and he is currently suspended from England duty following a conviction for drink-driving. Lancaster, who has known Care since his days as a teenager in the academy set-up at Leeds, is confident he does not have a drinking problem.

But Lancaster will meet with Care and outline the damage these incidents are doing to his international prospects.

“It is another unfortunate incident that could and should have been avoided,” Lancaster said.

“I’ll be meeting him as soon as possible about the decisions he’s making and how it’s affecting his chances of coming back and playing for England. We need to do that to make sure we rebuild the trust and we need to do that.

“I don’t think he’s got a long-term problem. I want to sit down with him like Conor [O’Shea, Harlequins director of rugby] to make sure he makes better decisions in the future.

“Long term, I think he’s got a future [with England] but, short term, obviously we made the decision he would not take part in the Six Nations and nothing has changed.”

The first in Care’s string of incidents came in the early hours after Harlequins’ Heineken Cup defeat to Toulouse, when he was arrested and fined by police for being drunk and disorderly.

Care was also fined an undisclosed amount by Harlequins, who made him write a personal cheque to a cancer charity rather than just have the amount docked from his wages.

After warning Care about his future conduct, Lancaster suspended him from England’s Six Nations campaign after he was arrested – and subsequently convicted – of drink driving early on New Year’s Day. Care was banned for 16 months after pleading guilty, and fined a total of £3,100 by the court and £10,000 by Harlequins.

The club have given no indication that Care will face a financial penalty on this occasion, with O’Shea offering his full support to the player.

Care blamed this latest incident on a “small bladder” rather than “excessive drinking” and he said: “I am working hard on and off the pitch to overcome my issues and, while this is another small setback, I will continue to do that.”

O’Shea said: “After last Friday’s match at Newcastle, our players were given a week off and Danny went to spend a few days with his parents in Leeds. On Saturday evening, he went out with some friends in the city and took a taxi home. He was caught short and stopped the taxi to relieve himself.

“The situation Danny finds himself in is unfortunate and is one that could and should have been avoided.

“We have no intention of doing anything other than supporting Danny and continuing to work with him so he understands his position and the decisions he makes.”

Harlequins added Care will continue his role within the club’s inner city Hitz Project and his work with the Prince’s Trust.