Youngs dazzles but faces nervous wait for Lions call-up

new director of rugby, Matt O’Connor, hailing him as the best scrum-half in world rugby, yet still he is taking nothing for granted.

With the Leicester squad enjoying a day off on Wednesday, Youngs intends to go for a long walk, or perhaps a trip to the races at Cheltenham, to avoid the announcement.

“It’s each to their own, so boys will tune in, some won’t,” Youngs said. “I will probably just go for a walk and I will either get a text message saying ‘well done’ or ‘hard luck’. A few boys are going to Cheltenham, I might join them there.”

Four years ago, O’Connor, in his first spell as head coach at Leicester, was about to hold a backs meeting when the announcement for the 2013 Lions tour of Australia was televised. O’Connor let them watch it while the forwards, in blissful ignorance, toiled away in a scrummaging session.

“Matt delayed the backs meeting and made everyone watch it, the announcement was quite slow but then obviously myself and Manu [Tuilagi] were the backs to go from Leicester,” Youngs recalled.

“The forwards were still training so they had no idea until they came in. All you can do is keep staying fit and playing and whatever Warren [Gatland, the Lions head coach] decides to do is not in my control.”

Six Leicester players made the cut four years ago – Youngs, brother Tom, Tuilagi, Geoff Parling, Tom Croft and Dan Cole.

Leicester’s decline as the powerhouse of English rugby in the intervening years is likely to see that number dwindle to just two this time – Youngs and Cole.

Youngs is optimistic, however, that O’Connor’s return to Welford Road will transform their fortunes again. With a play-off place in their grasp thanks to Bath’s defeat at Worcester, O’Connor is planning a week of intensive work ahead of their free weekend before the visit of Sale on April 29.

“There are certain areas we need to tidy up, Matt has told everyone to go home with a can of ‘Stickum’ and come in on Monday fully Stickumed up because he said, ‘Too many dropped balls’,” Youngs said. “You have to love a bit of Aussie humour. He was chucking tubs about to boys making sure they take them home with them, which is good fun.

“Matt is one of the best coaches in the world. I have said it before previously and without him I certainly wouldn’t be where I am as a player. I owe a lot to Matt.

“He understands the game unbelievably well. He knows Leicester, he knows the Premiership and I have no doubts that even if this season doesn’t end with a trophy, I know that next season we will be right back where we want to be.” Worcester lock Will Spencer banished the memories of his two-year injury nightmare with the try that effectively scuppered his former club’s hopes of making the Premiership play-offs.