Care continues to mature on way to becoming great all-rounder

For all Luther Burrell, Jonny May and Jack Nowell – with their combined total of just seven Tests – have dazzled at times against France and Scotland, none of their inroads would have been made without the continued slick service of Danny Care.

Compared to their callowness, the enigmatic scrum-half has been involved in the Red Rose camp for almost six years, sometimes thrilling and sometimes frustrating.

However, there is a sense that now, at the age of 27, the former Leeds Tykes player is maturing into just the sort of rounded, consistent No 9 his country require.

There has always been the dash and dare about his game, an impish quality which can bring crowds to their feet whether through a quick tap penalty or burst of acceleration to snipe away.

But Care has worked hard on improving other aspects, notably his organising quality and kicking, while his passing was of an extremely high standard out of Murrayfield’s cloying mud on Saturday.

Such fluent and swift service ensured his three-quarters were in motion quickly and hapless Scotland were forever on the back foot as England raised the Calcutta Cup once more.