Ex-Tigers captain Youngs inducted into Hall of Fame
LEICESTER Tigers legend Tom Youngs is among three English icons to be inducted into the Premiership Rugby Hall of Fame this year.
Youngs, along with Matt Banahan and Brad Barritt, will be honoured at the Gallagher Premiership Final between Saracens and Sale Sharks on Saturday.
The Twickenham crowd will be given the opportunity to show their appreciation for the 2023 inductees at half-time.
Youngs, right, made over 150 Premiership appearances during 15 years of service for the Tigers and earned 28 England caps as well as three British and Irish Lions test caps on the 2013 tour of Australia.
The centre-turnedhooker won his first Premiership Rugby title in 2013, playing alongside his scrum-half brother
Ben as they overpowered East Midlands rivals Northampton
Saints.
Youngs took indefinite leave from rugby in 2021 to support his wife Tiffany as she faced a prolonged battle with cancer.
But the club captain’s impact was still felt throughout the season and the Tigers legend was invited to lift the Premiership trophy alongside playing captain
Ellis Genge at last season’s
Gallagher
Premiership
Final.
Premiership stalwart Matt Banahan made over 200 league appearances for West Country neighbours Bath Rugby and Gloucester Rugby, scoring 71 tries. This puts the Jersey-born winger eighth on the Premiership Rugby all-time try scoring list.
The giant 6ft 7in back, who retired in 2021, made 16 England appearances, scoring four tries.
Saracens legend Brad Barritt is also honoured after 191 appearances in the famous black jersey.
The powerful centre also earned 26 England caps and was called up to represent the Lions in 2013.
In club colours, Barritt won five Premiership titles for the North London side between 2011 and 2019 and was also central to the three Champions Cup titles won by Sarries in 2016, 2017 and 2019. Phil Winstanley, rugby director at Premiership Rugby, said: “The 2023 inductees to the
Premiership Rugby Hall of Fame have been outstanding rugby players who made a monumental contribution to the success of their clubs and England.
“Beyond their brilliance on the pitch, all three are also great people and have been terrific ambassadors for the Premiership and our sport over many years.
“We will be honoured to welcome Matt, Brad and Tom, and their families, to the Gallagher
Premiership Final on Saturday, and we look forward to witnessing the Twickenham crowd show its appreciation for three of the league’s true greats at half-time.”
Other former Tigers stars to be inducted into the Hall of Fame include World Cup winner Martin Johnson, former head coaches Geordan Murphy and Steve Borthwick, former chief executive Peter Wheeler, Lewis Moody, Neil Back, Ben Kay and George Shuter.