Danny Care dismisses second yellow card controversy as Harlequins beat Northampton Saints at Twickenham

Danny Care denied claims he should have been sent off after he appeared to dive over the top at a ruck in the second half of Harlequins' thrilling 41-32 win over Gallagher Premiership leaders Northampton Saints at Twickenham.

Care, who was replaced by Will Porter immediately after the incident in the 63rd minute, received his first booking on six minutes for a high tackle on Courtney Lawes.

The 37-year-old accepted responsibility for the caution, saying: "It's bad from me."

However, Care believed that Karl Dickson's decision to award a penalty, but not brandish a second yellow for his dive over the ruck was the correct decision.

"I think the ball is out, [I'm] trying to get the ball," he told TNT Sports after the match. "There was a little fracas after which maybe helped me out."

Care called for the opinion of TNT Sports pundit Lawrence Dallaglio, to which the former England No. 8 responded: "That is a stonewall yellow card."

The scrum-half, however, accepted responsibility for his original booking on six minutes.

"The rules are the rules," he said. He's [Lawes] a big lad. I don't know how I got high enough to hit his head but it's one of those. I have to get my head out the way and get lower. It's bad from me, I have to do better."

The victory and bonus point sets up a grand-stand finish in the Premiership with just six points between Northampton at the summit and Quins in fifth.

Care expressed his squad's excitement looking ahead to their final three matches of the season, which begins with a tough-looking trip to Toulouse in the Investec Champions Cup semi-final next weekend.

He said: "We needed a win against the best team in the league, one of the best teams in Europe at the moment. They're a brilliant side who can punish us so we needed a win and we needed five points. We still don't know what's going to happen. This Premiership is mad.

"What I'm really proud of is the club. Another incredible game, I think we're pioneering in that way.

"The double is still on. We are so excited. Did we think were going to be there [in the cup semi-final], probably not. We know how tough its going to be coming up against the best club side in Europe. We're going to go there and give it a go."

Meanwhile, Quins head coach Danny Wilson described his side's Twickenham encounter as "stressful, exciting and enjoyable", but bemoaned his side's ill-discipline allowing Northampton a route into the game in the first half.

"It was stressful, exciting, enjoyable," he said. "It's what this group of players it about. it's the club's DNA, it what its been built on. We know in this competition you have to score 4 tries week-in week-out."

"I said at half-time should be further up on the scoreboard if it wasn't for yellow cards. That's what has given them a foothold. They're all one offs, we shouldn't be giving those sort of yellow cards away.

"What I'm learning about this club is you probably have to score six or seven tries to win a game of rugby."

Quins No. 8 Alex Dombrandt, whose performance was pivotal in overcoming the Premiership leaders at Twickenham, said it was "do-or-die" for his side as they look ahead to the "biggest week in the club's history".

"We are all super excited," he said. "We knew what was coming [semi-final against Toulouse] but had to keep an eye on today. We will enjoy tonight and look forward to Toulouse.

"It's a free shot. No one expects us to go there and do it. So we'll give it a crack and see what happens."

The Investec Champions Cup semi-finals will be live on TNT Sports and discovery+ on May 4-5.

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