Harlequins 31 Bristol 13: Care masterminds Quins domination and strengthens claims for England

( GETTY)

Care-lessness, two counts of it, were at the root of Bristol's abject performance at the Twickenham Stoop. The first, which was well within the West Country team's control, was their abysmal handling.

The second, totally out of their control, was even more telling – the presence of England scrum-half Danny Care in the Harlequins team. He masterminded Quins' every move and was at the hub of operations until the match was sewn up. "That was the Danny Care show," Brian Smith, the new England attack coach, said afterwards.

The 21-year-old ran the show with the aplomb of a veteran. "Danny is a handful," said Dean Richards, the Harlequins director of rugby. "There is no doubt England hold him in high regard. He is there or thereabouts, if he is not starting England's next match then he should certainly be on the bench."

Care used his head, feet and hands to devastating effect, and got his second-half try from a line-out move and then set up the fourth, bonus-point winning touchdown for the talented Tom Guest.

Gonzalo Tiesi, the Argentina international centre, later mentioned Care in the same breath as his former Pumas' captain and former Bristol scrum-half, Agustin Pichot. "He is pacy, he is skilful, he has the ability to look up and know where the space is," said Tiesi. "Agustin is a big name in the world of rugby, a great player, Danny is still young, but, like Agustin, he likes to be ahead and carry people behind him. He has the makings of a great player."

The plaudits did not stop with Quins either. Richard Hill, the Bristol director of rugby and himself a former England scrum-half, added: "I think Danny Care gets the pace of the game going. He is a very talented player. I don't know if he is the complete scrum-half yet, but he is certainly one of the better ones around, and certainly did enough damage to us to deserve praise."

That was something Bristol did not merit. As an example of their appalling display, Harlequins' second try came about after the Bristol full-back Luke Arscott gathered a Quins kick close to his line, then inexplicably crouched down and did not move for two or three precious seconds. He was then scragged royally by the advancing Quins, turned over the ball and his opposite number Mike Brown was sent over. "We just made a whole lot of errors," said a bemused Hill. "There were poor passes, dropped balls and turnovers."

Bristol's indiscipline, notably at the breakdown, was another of their weaknesses, although thankfully for them Waisea Luveniyali, keeping the fly-half spot warm for the injured All Black Nick Evans, missed all four of his kickable penalties as well as a couple of conversions, or the scoreline would have been a whole lot worse.

Harlequins: Tries Turner-Hall, Brown, Care, Guest, Tiesi; Conversions Luveniyali 3. Bristol: Tries Lemi; Conversion Jarvis; Penalties Jarvis 2.

Harlequins: M Brown; D Strettle, G Tiesi, J Turner-Hall (E Taione, 78), U Monye; W Luveniyali, D Care (A Gomarsall, 78); C Jones (J Brooks, 78-80+5), T Fuga (G Botha, 66), M Ross, O Kohn (J Evans, 66), G Robson, C Robshaw, W Skinner (capt), N Easter (T Guest, 66).

Bristol: L Arscott; T Arscott, N Brew (G Barden, 75), K Maggs (E Barnes, 66), D Lemi; A Jarvis, H Thomas (G Beveridge, 71); M Irish (P Bracken, 68), S Linklater (D Blaney, 71), J Hobson, M Sambucetti (A To'oala, 66), R Sidoli, N Budgett, J El-Abd (capt), A Blowers (D Ward-Smith, 56).

Referee: D Pearson (Northumberland).