Youngs glad he put family first
BEN YOUNGS heads into the Premiership season with no lingering regrets over his decision to withdraw from the Lions squad.
The England scrum-half pulled out to spend precious time back in his native Norfolk with his brother Tom and sister-in-law Tiffany after she was diagnosed with terminal cancer. He ended up watching the Test series as an armchair fan in the bosom of his extended family.
Professionally, it was a bold call to turn down the highest selection honour in British and Irish rugby but, sat on his parents’ sofa, he was 100 per cent sure he made the right call. “I watched the Lions as a fan – 8.30am was a bit early for a beer but mum cooked me a full-fat English breakfast,” said Youngs.
“I was watching a lot of the English boys and wanting them to do well and enjoying seeing the likes of Anthony Watson thrive out there.
“I never questioned my decision. I was absolutely honoured to be called up, I was looking forward to going out there but when we found out, the decision was very easy to make. We were able to really enjoy those six weeks together. We spent it at home with mum and dad and Tiff’s family.
“It was important we were able to do that. It was the right thing to do. She’s going strong at the moment, which is good. We’re just making the most of the time really.”
Leicester will field both of the Youngs brothers when the Premiership season starts next week, with Tom adamant he wants to play on despite his domestic situation. For Ben, the new campaign dawns with his selfless decision having delivered a positive rugby spin-off.
“What it allowed me to do from a rugby REPORTS perspective was to take six weeks off, look after the body and do my first proper preseason at Leicester since I was 19. I feel refreshed, I feel good. I’m really looking forward to it,” said the 27-year-old.
“I’ve definitely got the fire in my belly to really go after it. I’m excited by the prospect of playing with the guys who will be around me every week and I think it will allow me to kick on again.”
Alongside him will be George Ford, whose £700,000 move from Bath reconvenes the England half-back axis. “You’d hope it works for both Leicester and England,” said Youngs. “Playing with him every week is going to improve my game and allow me to understand him a bit better. Hopefully we will get an almost telepathic understanding at No9 and 10.”
Leicester have also brought in another England back in Jonny May and Manu Tuilagi is fit again. Throw in Australian playmaker Matt Toomua, who was sidelined for last season in only his second match, and it is no wonder Youngs is eyeing this season more eagerly than any he can recall. “I’m unbelievably excited to be part of this team. Last year there were periods, certainly in the Champions Cup, where we needed a bonus point and you looked around and the firepower all seemed to be sitting in the stands,” he said. “It was quite demoralising at times. Now we have the pace of Jonny, the footwork of Telusa Veainu, Manu to get us over the gainline and then Matt and George the two creators pulling the strings. With the way the game is going and how competitive the league is, you need game-breakers.
“What can separate the good teams from the great teams is that magic out of nowhere – and we have guys capable of producing that.”
THE Premiership clubs want the RFU to scrap one autumn international in Lions years rather than give ground of their own to create an extra week to prepare for the tour.
The Lions management were outspoken in their criticism of the English clubs’ intransigence in New Zealand but Premiership chief executive Mark McCafferty remains reluctant to move on the issue, even after the Pro14 agreed to squeeze their schedule.
“One of the other options may be for some of the unions involved to cancel one of their internationals that year,” said McCafferty, who warned yesterday the Lions were “doing themselves quite a lot of damage if they don’t engage in a more positive way”.