By George Davis
Danny Care paid tribute to a departing Will Collier, after it was confirmed the forward would be leaving the club at the end of the season. Collier joined the club aged 14 and has gone on to make 241 appearances in the famous quarters and joins the player exodus to the security of the French leagues.
But now with just one guaranteed game left in the season, Care is hoping they can give the players leaving just a couple more games in a Quins shirt.
“I think every club this time in the season, always finds that bit extra to try and give the best sendoff you can to some proper legends. Will Collier is a proper Harlequins legend, he’s been at the club 19 years supported Quins when he was a child and I know it’s a massive move for him and his family,” added the scrum half.
“We want to make the last weekend at the club for him to be as special as we can as we know how much this club means to him.”
Harlequins welcome Bristol to The Stoop on Saturday and a win along with other results going their way could see them sneak into the top four.
“We want to send him out on a high and we would have loved to have got him into a European semi-final and we will do our best to try and get him into another prem semi-final.
“Hopefully you know, him, Andre (Esterhuizen), Louis Lynagh there’s a few more as well that are leaving and we would love to give them at least one more game, as a Harlequin, hopefully two but we aren’t looking that far ahead as we are looking towards this weekend.”
However, despite the end of the season bringing some late drama, the England scrumhalf is proud of the improvements his side have shown this season, especially in Danny Wilson maiden season at the helm.
“Danny Wilson coming in has been really good for the club. He’s such a wirily operator and knows how to get the best out of the forwards stuff that they are doing,” added the 37-year-old. A lot of how clinical we have been in the 22 and all that is all down to Danny’s work, his detail.”
Care also quickly pointed out the influence the former Cardiff head coach has had on existing members of the club too. I think the other coaches have really thrived with him, Jordan Turner-Hall has been amazing, we are trying our best to defend a bit better for him, but we aren’t giving him the results at the minute that we would like to.
“I think you have seen some real development of young players coming through in the squad, Chandler Cunningham-South, Oscar Beard, Will Joseph, Will Porter and Jarrod Evans when he has played,” said Care.
“We have hopefully shown some more strength in depth which hopefully will take this club forward as the old boys can’t keep going for too long.”