England’s most capped men’s player, Ben Youngs, is retiring after the World Cup third-place play-off against Argentina this Friday.
Youngs, aged 34, will earn his 127th England cap in this tournament’s first start. He has been overshadowed by Alex Mitchell and Jack van Poortvliet in the England lineup.
The scrum-half made his Test debut in March 2010 under then-captain Steve Borthwick.
“I feel incredibly proud to have done it for this long,” Youngs said.
“It has taken a huge amount of effort to do it for 13 years. It’s just fitting and it feels right, and I feel so privileged to be able to play and walk away on my terms.
“You see some players have it finished for them. I’m ready to do it. I have always had this focus of getting to this World Cup and I never felt that after this World Cup I would need to carry on.
“I look forward to playing club rugby and supporting this team from a distance, but it’s been a great ride.”
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Return to roots:
Although set to continue plying his trade for Leicester, the playmaker is already planning to move into the family farming industry once his career comes to an end.
He is set to join his brother Tom, who announced his retirement from rugby back in May 2022 to care for his wife Tiffany, who had been diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma back in 2014. Tiffany tragically passed away in June of that year.
Tom said: “Last time I did a full harvest at home was 19 years ago and I was on grain cart and now I am combine driver and loving it. Thank u all for all the kind messages over the last 2 months.
“I have no regrets and, looking back, am proud of what I have achieved at the only club I ever wanted to play for. There has always been a connection to the club, with dad playing for Tigers, and I have memories from an early age of hearing about what that was like for him and what it meant to him.
“To be able to do what I have done, alongside my brother and after my dad, is just magical. I couldn’t have written it any better.”
Partner in crime
Ben and Charlotte, the latter a Cosmetic Nurse at The Hospital Group, are believed to have connected at a charity event for veteran medical professionals in London. Married in 2015, they’re parents to Boris and Billie.
Charlotte expertly manages work, motherhood, and backing her husband, Leicester Tigers scrumhalf Ben Youngs
Peter O’Mahony and Owen Farrell included on list of ‘dirtiest current’ rugby players
Fans have been ranking who they consider the dirtiest players in the game today.
Some players seem to be chosen due to their unpopularity, while others have been singled out for their thuggish actions on the field.
#5. Owen Farrell (England)
Could anyone else have taken the spotlight first? Farrell embodies the term “our guy” more than most. He’s the player you love to hate unless he’s on your team, in which case you’d defend him passionately.
The former England captain, nicknamed ‘Shoulder Boy’ for his high tackles, hasn’t helped his reputation with his poor tackling technique in the past.
Owen Farrell facts:
The Saracens star went to school with England teammate George Ford
His education began in rugby league – he joined Wigan St Patricks at the age of eight
He became the youngest ever player to appear in English professional rugby, making his debut aged 17 and 11 days. This record was later beaten by schoolmate Ford
It’s well known that Owen is the son of Ireland head coach Andy Farrell. However, it’s less commonly know that his uncle Sean O’Loughlin is also a rugby league legend, winning 34 caps for Great Britain between 1993 and 2009
He was not at first registered as a Farrell, but took mum Colleen’s family name of O’Loughlin. The couple married in 1995, changing Owen’s surname to Farrell the following year.