By Mitch Phillips

LONDON (Reuters) -Scrumhalf Danny Care, who won 101 caps for England and has made a record 394 appearances for Harlequins, will retire from rugby at the end of the season, the London club said on Tuesday.

Care, 38, stepped back from the international game after the 2024 Six Nations and now will leave Quins a year earlier than he had hoped.

"So, it's finally time. Unfortunately, after 19 years of playing for this incredible club, I'm going to be retiring from rugby at the end of the season," Care said in a letter on the club's website.

"I just wanted to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for letting a lad from Leeds come down to this club and feel like home from day one.

" To all the fans. Thank you for everything you've given me and my family. You brought us into your hearts. You've sung my name louder than it's ever deserved. And I can't really put into words what representing this club and playing in front of you all has meant to me."

Care joined Quins in 2006 and helped them to the 2011 European Challenge Cup and the 2012 Premiership title.

Nine years later they lifted the Premiership trophy again after their astonishing comeback semi-final win over Bristol and then victory over Exeter in the final.

He made his England debut as a 21-year-old in 2008 and was a key member of the Six Nations-winning teams of 2011, 2016 and 2017.

He then fell out of favour with former coach Eddie Jones, before being recalled after three years in 2022 and was a regular replacement during England's run to the 2023 World Cup semi-finals where they lost to South Africa.

A livewire operator always looking for the chance of a quick break, Care is hugely popular with fans and teammates and has already started forging a media career with regular podcast appearances.

"Danny has been the heartbeat of every team he’s played for, with his passion, skill, and energy lighting up stadiums wherever he went," said England coach Steve Borthwick. "He’s given everything to rugby, and I congratulate him on a brilliant career.

"On behalf of the team, we wish him the best in the next chapter - though knowing Danny, we’ll soon hear his voice on our screens, bringing the same passion and personality he brought to the pitch.”

Care's announcement comes weeks after fellow scrumhalf Ben Youngs, who won 127 England caps and kept Care out of the starting team for many years, said he would retire from the sport at the end of the season after more than 330 games for Leicester.

(Reporting by Mitch Phillips, editing by Ken Ferris)