CHOCS AWAY FOR BIG BEN
Leonard hails Youngs for shaping up to set record
BEN YOUNGS will break Jason Leonard’s England Test cap record on Saturday, the legendary prop predicting the scrum-half will finish his career in clear water as the nation’s No.1.
Youngs will win his 115th England cap against Wales to eclipse the mark Leonard set 20 years ago.
And Leonard, who will be at Twickenham to see the 32-yearold’s special moment, believes there are plenty more miles on the scrum-half’s clock.
“It’s a truly amazing achievement,” said Leonard. “For anyone to get more than
100 games for your country is a massive achievement. Think about the dedication, the hard work, the resilience and the determination.
“But the biggest accolade I can give him is that he most probably has a few more years left in him as well. He still has a lot of rugby left in him.
“Ben’s game has been at such a high level for so long but he is showing no sign of slowing down. Eddie Jones said he liked too much chocolate when he came in but he knuckled down, lost a bit of weight and looked a lot sharper for it.
“He is always working at his game. He never thinks he has it cracked. Good luck to him – I wish him all the very best for Saturday.”
Youngs, below on his England debut in 2010, intends to play until next year’s World Cup at least, which gives him the chance to move into the global top 10.
Leonard went on for four more years in the England front row after beating Rory Underwood’s 85-cap record against Argentina in 2000 in a game that was almost called off because of a players’ pay strike.
He became the only Englishman to play in the 1991 and 2003 World Cup finals after coming off the bench for extra-time in Australia before retiring from international rugby the following season as, at the time, the most capped player in the world.
He says the pride Youngs will feel will be only a small part of the story.
“Records are there to be broken. If you break one, then that is all fine and dandy but it is really about the memories you collect that matter over that journey,” said Leonard.
“The numbers don’t really play on your mind.
“The most special thing is not the number of caps but the memories you are making with a special group of people representing your country.
“You’re not on your own in rugby. It’s a team game. And Ben is a great team man. He’s a credit to his family, to the shirt and to the game of rugby.”
Youngs is set to be restored to the England starting line-up after a bench role behind Harry Randall in Italy a fortnight ago.
Manu Tuilagi and Courtney Lawes are also pushing for starting places after injury.