Harlequins director of rugby Dean Richards has backed Danny Care for a place in the England squad.
Coach backs number nine for international honours
After his influential performance in Harlequins' 32-6 Guinness Premiership victory against Leeds, director of rugby Dean Richards has backed Danny Care for a place in the England squad.
The 21-year-old scrum-half progressed through the ranks at Leeds' academy before joining Quins in 2006 and is now above Andy Gomarsall in the pecking order as his club's number nine.
The Leeds-born half-back pulled the strings against his former club and also scored a 52nd-minute try in a victory which takes Quins second in the table.
Care's form earned him a call-up to England's training squad towards the end of the Six Nations and he is expected to be included in the squad for this summer's tour of New Zealand.
Richards said: "I'd like to think Danny is right up there in the top three scrum-halves in England.
"He obviously doesn't have the international experience that some of the other guys have got, but he's got some fantastic skills and is a very quick learner.
"If they're going to take three scrum-halves to New Zealand, which I think they probably will do, then I'd like to think Danny is in contention to be included.
"I think he's very close to being ready. He's learning and has served two good apprenticeships, under Andy Gomarsall at Harlequins and Justin Marshall at Leeds.
"He's taken a lot on board from those two players and is improving week by week."
More than enough
Richards' team could not follow Care's lead and were not at their expansive best - but did more than enough against a side for whom relegation beckons.
Of the season run-in, Richards added: "I'd be delighted if we made the play-offs - but what will be will be. We've got three difficult games left - Sale, London Irish and Leicester - but we're not looking at where we are in the league.
"If we stay there then so be it, but it is individual performances that we are focusing on.
"The most pleasing thing for me is that I've got an exciting young side who love playing rugby.
"They've got so much enthusiasm and are willing to learn."
The result meant a 16th defeat in 19 outings for Leeds, with director of rugby Stuart Lancaster already resigned to the drop.
"Most of our players will be staying here, and we're hoping to make an announcement shortly on players coming in," he said.
