17 Jan 2012

England halfback banned from driving

6:11 am on 17 January 2012

The England rugby halfback Danny Care was fined 3750 euros ($NZ 7300) and banned from driving for 16 months after pleading guilty to drink-driving early on New Year's Day.

The Harlequins player was stopped at a service station on the M3 motorway in Hampshire in the early hours.

The incident led to the 25-year-old being excluded from England's Six Nations squad.

It came three weeks after he had been fined by police for being drunk and disorderly.

On New Year's Eve, hours before his arrest, Care tweeted: "2012 is hopefully going to be a massive year ... Earn respect. Earn the shirt. Set the example."