Stuart Lancaster gets tough by axing Danny Care from Six Nations

England’s interim head coach Stuart Lancaster took the decision after Care was arrested in the early hours of New Year’s Day, three weeks after he had been fined by police for being drunk and disorderly.

The Harlequins scrum-half will plead guilty in court on 16 January and yesterday admitted his shame, regret and devastation over the incident.

When Lancaster was appointed as Martin Johnson’s temporary replacement, he vowed to crack down on lack of discipline in the national squad.

England’s World Cup campaign was dogged by off-field scandal, including an infamous drunken night out in Queenstown which led to Mike Tindall being fined £15,000.

Lancaster has told Care he will not be considered for England selection until after the Six Nations and until he has proven he is trustworthy again.

“I have met Danny and told him that he will not be considered for selection,” said Lancaster, who had reprimanded Care after his arrest last month.

“This is his second arrest in three weeks for alcohol-related offences and it is completely unacceptable.

“At such a time that we feel he can be trusted to behave appropriately on and off the field, then he will be reconsidered for selection, but this will not be until the conclusion of the Six Nations as a minimum.”

Lancaster is due to name his Six Nations squad on 11 January, and there is a strong possibility it will include the Scarlets number eight Ben Morgan after he declared his international allegiance to England yesterday.

Care was a certain pick before the latest incident. He missed the World Cup with a foot injury but has been in prime form for Harlequins and was pushing Ben Youngs to reclaim the England scrum-half jersey.

Lancaster first coached Care in the Leeds academy and knows his family well, but all sentiment was put to one side.

“It’s not a decision I’ve taken lightly but I think it’s the correct decision and I think it’s the correct decision for Danny,” Lancaster said.

“It was unacceptable. He understands that and, ultimately for me, it was a difficult and right decision.

“It’s a strong message but it’s the right message. Ultimately all players need to understand they are responsible adults and there are behaviours that go with that.

“When I spoke to Danny he was hurting a lot and I know him well enough to know that he will never make this mistake again.

“He’s made a poor error of judgment and he has to face the consequences.”

On New Year’s Eve, hours before his arrest, Care tweeted: “2012 is hopefully going to be a massive year...Earn respect. Earn the shirt. Set the example.”

Today, he was forced to issue a humble apology.

“I do accept that I made a very bad decision on the evening in question and need to take the punishment that the courts hand out,” he said.

“I have decided not to contest the charge as I want to bring this to a close swiftly rather than have it hanging over my head for a year or more.

“I would stress, though, that at no time did I think I had drunk enough to be over the legal limit. However, I should not have got into the car and have to accept the consequences of that action.

“I am devastated not to be selected for the elite player squad for the Six Nations as I felt I had been playing near the top of my game with Quins.

“However, I wish the team, and the other number nines who come in to play, the best of luck as playing for your country is the highest honour in the game and I will miss it hugely.

“It’s now up to me to get my head down, keep playing well and learn from my actions.

“Quins and Stuart have been very supportive and I totally accept their sanctions. I understand the need for England players to be role models in the game and have tried to live up to that, but have made a couple of stupid decisions in the past weeks.

“I can only hope for the chance in the future to prove those decisions were the exception not the rule. I am devastated because my actions have let so many people down.”

Care was fined a “substantial” amount by Harlequins following his arrest for being drunk and disorderly, which he was required to donate in person to a cancer charity.

The club have fined him £10,000 for the latest incident and he will be required to work on their inner-city coaching programme until the end of pre-season 2012-13. Harlequins director of rugby Conor O’Shea said: “Danny’s actions are inexcusable and we are all deeply disappointed and feel very let down.

“Danny knows what he did is wrong and has accepted the responsibility for his actions.

“Danny is one of the nicest guys you could meet and bitterly regrets the damage this incident has done to both his and the club’s reputation.”