Aviva Premiership
Care: Quins happy with underdogs tag
ESPN Staff
September 13, 2013
Danny Care will hope to have much to smile about at the end of the season © PA Photos
Enlarge

Harlequins scrum-half Danny Care is happy his team have been written off by most this season and that they are looking forward to proving the doubters wrong.

Quins lifted the Aviva Premiership title in 2011-12 but last season, they crashed out of the Heineken Cup at the quarter-final stage and lost in the last four of the top flight. In the close season they lost star tight-head James Johnston to Saracens but narrowly beat Wasps in the Premiership opener with Andy Goode missing a last-gasp conversion which would have taken the game away from Harlequins' grasp.

Friday night sees Harlequins hosting the much-fancied Northampton Saints at the Twickenham Stoop and the visitors will have their three premier summer signings in the starting line-up. And Care admits that although his opposite number Kahn Fotuali'i is one of the best scrum-halves in world rugby, Quins are in a good place.

"A lot of people haven't put us in their top four - we're happy with that. We love to prove people wrong," Care told the Daily Express. "Two poor performances in two massive games against Munster in Europe and Leicester in the Premiership semi-final let us down last year, but if we can play to our potential we can beat anyone.

"We were a bit fortunate in the opening game with Goodey's kick hitting the post at the end, but those are the sort of games you need to win over the season. Northampton have signed some fantastic players. Kahn Fotuali'i is one of the best scrum-halves in the world, Corbs [Alex Corbisiero] is the new Lions hero and then there is George North, so it will be a hell of a game."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd
Download ESPN's new UK multisport app, a fresh and powerful new way to follow your favourite UK sports news, scores and video.

Live Sports

Communication error please reload the page.

ABOUT COOKIES

To help make this website better, to improve and personalize your experience and for advertising purposes, are you happy to accept cookies and other technologies.

More Info Here Cookie Choices