Care: There were rumours around Harlequins about Gustard leaving

Harlequins stalwart Danny Care has spoken publicly about Paul Gustard's exit at the Stoop last week and described the news as a ‘big shock' after a team meeting was called on Wednesday to inform the squad.

The Premiership club brought Gustard's tenure to an premature end six months before his contract was set to expire. This comes after Quins recorded two wins from eight matches in all competitions to start the season.

Gustard's time out of rugby has been minimal, as Benetton announced on Tuesday the former England defence coach would be on his way to Italy at the start of next season.

Scrum-half Care, who has featured in 205 Premiership matches for Quins, believes accountability lies with the players as much as it does with Gustard for the team's shortcomings.

“There were rumours going around the camp,” Care said on the BBC Rugby Union Weekly podcast. “There were rumours going around that there were other opportunities open to Paul Gustard to go; one with Wales and one with Treviso.

“At the end of the day, it did come as a shock to everyone because we were all off due to the games getting cancelled. We were off Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and got called into a Zoom meeting on Wednesday. Everyone then starts thinking ‘what's going on?' and we were told the news that ‘Guzzy' has left us immediately.

“It was a big shock because he had been there two-and-a-half years, he left the Whatsapp group and it was a strange one. I would say there were mixed feelings, some boys expected something to happen sooner and others had no idea.

“The club have made the decision that Guzzy wasn't a part of their plans and, mutually, I think they decided the best thing was for him to leave straight away. For Guzzy and for the club I think that was the right decision to leave now rather than at the end of the season.”

Harlequins have faded from title contention in the Premiership since they clinched their maiden trophy under Conor O'Shea in 2012.

In the years that followed O'Shea's time also came to an end, with John Kingston nor Gustard able to steer Harlequins into the top four – a feat that has not been achieved for the last seven seasons.

A serial winner with Saracens and England as defence coach, the upturn in fortunes didn't arrive at Quins under Gustard.

“I was one who was buzzing when he got the job at Quins, he was a guy who I worked with at England and a guy who was a mate,” Care added. “For him to get the job, I was the one saying ‘this is what we needed'.

“It isn't all Guzzy's fault. As a whole club, we are all accountable for the main man losing the job.

“The club has had a broad look at it all, spoke to a lot people and made the decision that the best thing for the future is to go in a different direction.

“As players it is on all of us, we haven't played well enough. The whole organisation hasn't been good enough for a number of years now, pre-Guzzy as well.”

“New, young coaches have come through and then Guzzy got the job in 2018, we were all so excited, by Guzzy hadn't been a director of rugby before, he hadn't been a head coach, and the coaches that were under him hadn't never coached before. So it was a new experience for everyone.

“It is a completely different job to just being a defence coach; to have to deal with contracts, player agents, team selection and the way we play is a lot more to do than getting players to defend for you.

“It think experience is key on the next appointment, because from what I have seen I think you need someone that has been there and done it.”

General manager Billy Millard has now stepped in to oversee first-team affairs, as someone who joined Harlequins at the same time as Gustard.

They travel to face Wasps in the Premiership this weekend.