Danny Care and Mike Brown extend their careers, will still be playing next season

Rugby News
Tuesday, 02 January 2024 at 11:09
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In a recent development, seasoned England rugby players Danny Care and Mike Brown are poised to extend their careers in the Gallagher Premiership as they've been presented with new contract offers.
Leicester is offering a fresh deal to Mike Brown, the former England full-back, ensuring his participation in top-tier professional rugby even as he approaches his 40th year.
Brown, currently a free agent, showcased his prowess with a try-scoring performance in Tigers' New Year's Eve victory over Bath, marking the conclusion of his existing contract.
Despite concerns among the Welford Road crowd that it might be Brown's farewell in a Leicester jersey, the club has moved swiftly to dispel such fears by tabling a new contract, intending to retain the 72-cap veteran beyond the current season.
Meanwhile, Harlequins have extended an offer to Danny Care, the seasoned scrum-half, to prolong his tenure with the club until after his 38th birthday.
Care, set to turns 37 today, holds the record for the most appearances for Quins since joining from Leeds Tykes in 2006.
He played pivotal roles in the club's Premiership final victories in 2012 and 2021. With the club expressing a keen interest in having him continue beyond the current season, Care, boasting 96 caps as England's No.9, is currently weighing his options.
An announcement from him is expected in the coming weeks as he considers the prospect of extending his association with Harlequins.
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Brian Moore law changes to rugby:

#1. Extend the mark zone to the 10 metre line

Going against Warren Gatland, who suggested removing the mark completely from the game, Moore is looking to limit the number of box kicks we see in modern rugby.
The former England hooker commented: "If you supplemented this with a law that the marking player had to tap the ball and pass or run, you would speed up the restart and not allow time to be taken by kicking to touch.
"All this would go some way to removing the bane of many fans’ match-day experience: the box kick. This type of kick has now become almost ubiquitous, not only as an exit from a team’s 22, but as an attacking option between the 22 and the opponent’s 10-metre line."

#2. Ban the caterpillar RUCK

The former England hooker is the latest big name pundit to call for the controversial tactic, which is used by many teams to slow the game down, to be outlawed.
Moore added: "Once the ball is available at the back of a ruck the referee should call for it to be played and no player should thereafter be allowed to join the ruck.
"Yes, this would make the box kick more difficult – that is the point, and it would be the same for both sides."
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#3. Scrum & line out reform

He wrote on line-outs: "Referees should look at lineout formation. They seem to have stopped the papal conclave that used to happen before every lineout, but they are still allowing the throw-in to wait until the last second before entering the lineout.
"They already have the throw; they should not be given the further advantage of late entry which just wastes more time."
On the scrums, he added: "They are again starting to take an age to ready, form and complete. I understand referees not wanting to hasten the engage sequence, but they would be aided by a law stating that if the put-in team is not ready to engage by a stipulated time they lose the feed. If the other pack is not ready, a free kick is given.

#4. Reduce replacements

The former England hooker believes teams, such as world champions South Africa, loading their bench with forwards should be a watershed moment for how replacements are dealt with in rugby.
Moore said: "If we cannot agree to go back to only injury-related substitutions, at least drastically reduce the number of substitutions.
"The trend towards picking benches dominated by forwards is only going to grow, limiting fatigue from which attacking space becomes available.
"This is without considering the fact that it would make club squads smaller and possibly solvent. Wouldn’t that be a good thing after 2023?"
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