It's a throwing line often used in sports, that a player who frequents a particular field over several years should know every patch of grass.
In the case of the hallowed turf of Twickenham Stadium, other than former footballer Keith Kent, no one knows what it feels like to step onto a pristine surface more than Danny Kerr.
The veteran halfback played as a schoolboy there, for Otley's Prince Henry's, for England's 7s and 15s and, of course, for his club Harlequins when they played their exhibition matches there.
“My first game at Twickenham was actually for the school, we played in the Daily Mail Vase final. I played fly-half, which was fantastic, and we won it,” the 37-year-old recalls.
“I'll never forget running around as a kid with tears in my eyes thinking, 'This is a class, this is great, I'd love to do that so much.' My dad texted me this week; he thinks I've played at Twickenham 90 times; he thinks that's the 90th My age, he knows everything, it's nauseating.
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“Has anyone played more at Twickenham? I don't know? I'd love to know. It's happened a few times, but it's the most special stadium in the world. I'm very lucky to have played there 90 times, and I hope I can play there a few more times.”
Kerr's father appears to be aware of his numbers. Renowned rugby statistician Stuart Farmer has 86 senior caps at Twickenham, including 7s, five more than fellow scrum-half and Centurion Caps. Ben Youngs, 10 more than former England captain Owen Farrell.
Care made his international debut at England Rugby's HQ in May 2007, playing alongside the likes of Ben Foden and current GB coach Tony Roques, for the England 7 against Portugal in the HSBC World Series.
His first appearance for the England XI came at Twickenham three caps into his Test career, against the Pacific Islands in November 2008 – the same year Harlequins launched the Big Game concept, now in its 15th edition. Kerr started the 26-26 draw against Leicester, an edge-of-your-seat contest that set the tone for future matches there.
Not content with just one exhibition game each year, the innovative Harlequins are also three in a 'Big Summer Kick-off' series, with Saturday's decider against Premier League leaders Northampton being the latest match to cross the A306 and be played in 'The Big'. incline”.
Harlequins have a 75 per cent winning record at the famous rugby stadium and Kerr claimed, on the eve of his 280th Premiership appearance, that playing there always lifts his team.
“It's amazing that we can do this in club form. We're the only club that can walk from our home ground to the home of rugby, Twickenham, and it never fails for the players to have the fans come and give us a guard of honour. It's an incredible feeling.”
“Something happens for us at the club when we play there, and we love doing it. I'm very proud to belong to this club that has been a pioneer in taking matches to bigger stadiums and seems to continue to do that and try to do it bigger and better.
Is it always magic for Marcus Smith at Twickenham?@harlequins Back to the Big Stoop for #BigSummerKickOff Against Northampton Saints on Saturday?#GallagherBrim pic.twitter.com/XAw7uXCnhn
– Premier Rugby (@premrugby) April 24, 2024
“It's our job as players to showcase that and try to show what we have on the pitch, so we want to have some fireworks as well.”
With the city's free-flowing Saints and play-off contenders Harlequins famous for their exciting brand of rugby, Saturday afternoon's fixture promises to be an absolute highlight. Kerr's duel with his English teammate Alex Mitchell will be worth the price of the ticket alone.
He said of Mitchell: “He's a fantastic rugby player. He took the opportunities he had last year to make the England No. 9 shirt his own.” “In a way, I feel like a big brother, I'm so proud of him for what he's done – to recover from being sent home from England's World Cup training squad and being out of the three (scrum-halves).” The last steam for us all.
“He's taken it and run with it, made it (the No. 9 shirt) his own, so we're fully aware of the threat he poses; he's the heartbeat of this team, and has been for the last few years, so we'll have to defend very well to stop him and Finn (Smith), “They have a great little combination there, so 'D' is going to be big for us this weekend.”
Thank you @England Rugby ?? pic.twitter.com/rs15whn4AV
– Danny Care (@dannycare) March 25, 2024
