Harlequins are aiming for a significant turnaround in the Premiership this season after finishing second-bottom last year, according to club legend Danny Care. Despite the team’s recent struggles, including a steady decline since their title-winning campaign in 2020-21, Care remains optimistic that Harlequins can challenge for a top-four finish and a place in the playoffs.
Harlequins ended last season in ninth place out of 10 teams, continuing a downward trend following a third-place finish in 2021-22 and mid-table positions in subsequent years. However, Care points to Exeter Chiefs as a recent example of a team that rapidly climbed the Premiership rankings. Exeter went from ninth the previous season to reaching the final in 2024-25, narrowly losing to Northampton Saints, who themselves had been eighth the year before. Care believes this kind of rebound is achievable for Harlequins given the unpredictable nature of the league.
Speaking ahead of the new Premiership campaign, Care emphasized the importance of momentum and a bit of luck in shaping a team's fortunes. “Quins have to believe that [they can do an Exeter],” he said, setting cautious but hopeful targets of at least reaching the top six and then pushing for the top four. While the team suffered a 33-17 home defeat against title contenders Bath in their opening game, Care highlighted encouraging signs, including impressive individual tries by Will Porter and Chandler Cunningham-South showing attacking promise.
Care also stressed the broader importance of Harlequins to English rugby, describing the club as a vital source of entertaining, attacking rugby and likening their presence in the Premiership to that of a high-profile football club in their respective league. He said that internal reviews of training, recovery, and squad management have been undertaken to address last season’s issues, emphasizing the need for better overall performance and player availability.
The previous campaign was marked by disruption after head coach Danny Wilson’s late departure to take a role with the Wales national team, leaving interim head coach Jason Gilmore to assume leadership. Gilmore, who joined from Australia as a defence coach, was appointed permanently after a global search. Care defended Gilmore’s performance last year, noting the challenges of stepping up mid-preseason and leading a team under difficult circumstances. He expressed confidence that with a full season to implement his ideas and recruit players, Gilmore will be the right fit for the club moving forward.
Robbie Deans, the former Wallabies coach, has also joined Harlequins as performance director, although he will divide his time between on-site duties and remote work.
While acknowledging the underlying challenges and the competitiveness of the Premiership, Harlequins’ internal changes and Care’s optimism reflect a club determined to recover and once again compete at a high level this season.