‘this team will evolve and grow’
Says Ben Youngs
BENYOUNGS had an international career to savour, but he has no regrets about retirement, even though winning a World Cup would have been something to savour. England’s most-capped men’s player called time on his distinguished 13-year international career late last year after 127 caps for his country.
The respected scrum-half played in four World Cups, won the Six Nations on no fewer than four occasions and was part of the electrifying England team which famously won the coveted Grand Slam crown in 2016.
He played in the 2019World
Cup final against South Africa and is also a five-time Premiership winner with club side Leicester Tigers.
It’s fair to say Youngs has been there and got the t-shirt.
The 34-year-old certainly knows what it takes to succeed at the top level and under the most intense scrutiny.
And having had just over six months to enjoy and reflect on his international retirement, the homegrown star has no doubts the future is bright for the England team.
Youngs was encouraged by some of England’s gutsy performances in this year’s Six Nations, especially a courageous 23-22 victory over defending champions Ireland and having come within a whisker of beating France in their own back yard barring a dramatic late winner in Paris.
“This team will evolve and grow,” said Youngs.
“It’s always going to be the balance game. I think we got our balance right in the last two (Six Nations) games and, although you never want to be cocky losers, we only lost to France with a kick at the end of the game.
“But, actually, everyone left that match feeling unbelievably proud because you saw an England team that fought and an England team that put in an all-out performance.
“In reality we were only seconds away from winning it.
“I thought England were absolutely terrific in the last two games of the tournament.
“They were a bit unlucky against France, but the Ireland game gave everyone what they wanted – Twickenham was absolutely rocking.
“It was a huge performance by the team and I think you saw how England have evolved under Steve Borthwick (right).
“Certainly, from the World Cup onwards, Steve has been coach for a year and you saw an England team at the Six Nations which, maybe took a while to get going, but once they did you thought, ‘Blimey, this is a team heading in the right direction’
“I think what England did in the Six Nations is hugely encouraging.”
Traditionally England’s identity has been their strength from their forwards but, with a string of new stars making their name on the international stage,youngs hopes the team can evolve even more under Borthwick’s guidance and play to some new strengths.
“I think England’s identity will always be a dominant forward pack, because that’s traditionally the game in England with the weather and because that’s what we seem to produce,” added Youngs.
“But whilst we have a team full of talented guys, such unbelievable athletes, then it would be remiss of us not to use them properly and focus on moving the ball quickly to them.”
Youngs and fellow big-name stars including former skipper Owen
Farrell, Danny Care and Courtney Lawes have all retired from the England side in the last year.
But Youngs believes there will always be new and exciting players coming through the ranks to ensure England continue to build towards success.
“It is changing of the guard,” added Youngs (right).
“After everyworld Cup cycle there’s always turnover and always change.
“And I’m sure that will continue to happen over the next 12-18 months.
“We’ve still got a lot of very good players, but the question is whether they will make the next four-year cycle.
“Equally, you can’t just get rid of them, because those players are too important right now.
“You’ve got players like Ben Earl who, for me, was the standout player of the tournament. He’s going to grow and he’s got so many years to give for England.
“And you start looking at players like
Marcus Smith,alex
Mitchell and Ollie
Lawrence, well these guys have got at least twoworld
Cups in them – if not three.
“You start getting excited about that and the talent we have at our disposal.”