Ben Youngs, the most capped player in England’s men, will retire from professional rugby at the end of the season.
Youngs earned 127 caps in the UK in the Scrum Half and retired from international rugby after finishing third in the 2023 Rugby World Cup. He is away from the sport as a one-clubman, as he played throughout the Leicester Tigers career.
The 35-year-old is considered one of the great scrum harvests of the present day, and has enjoyed himself at the top of the sport for 18 years. He made Leicester’s first team debut in 2007 and won his first England Test Cap in 2010.
He won five premier titles at the Anglo-Welsh Cup in Leicester (2007, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2022) and in 2007, 2012 and 2017.
Along with England, he was part of the team that won the Six Nations titles in 2011, 2016, 2017 and 2020, but represented them in four World Cups (2011, 2015, 2019, 2023). He led England to the 2019 World Cup final and helped him get third place two years ago.
Youngs won two Test caps on the 2013 Australia tour for the British & Ireland Lions as they scored a 2-1 victory over Wallaby. He was selected for the 2017 tour but withdrew due to family reasons.
“It’s a really bittersweet feeling,” Youngs said. “Obviously, I’m sad to think it’s coming to an end, but I’m excited for the rest of this season and I’m excited to see this group do.
“That’s the weird part, I use the word “R” (retirement), but today is not finished yet. There’s still a lot of rugby left this season. That is before my heart.
“I spent 20 years at the club and have been lucky enough to be involved in some incredible moments along the way, have been successful and have created memories that last a lifetime.
“Club rugby, green, red, white and everything I wanted to know. The idea of playing against this club was not an option for me, so being able to complete a one-club player is one of my biggest accomplishments.
“It’s time to thank everyone who helped me achieve what I have, but it’s time to end. For now, it’s about completing this chapter of my life with even more success. I’m not finished yet.”
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