Ben Youngs set for left field career change after rugby retirement, it's the family business
Rugby NewsThursday, 30 May 2024 at 08:28
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.
#4. Dan Biggar (Wales)
Biggar is the epitome of players you hate until they are on your team.The way the fly-half continues to moan to referees vociferously has seemingly only got worse throughout his career.
It got so bad that popular online personality and diehard Scotland fan Glove39 made a video called ‘birdman’ mocking the way in which he always raises his arms in frustration to officials.
#3. Tomás Lavanini (Argentina)
No player has garnered more attention for indiscipline than the Argentinian forward.
On November 21, 2021, in a match against Ireland, Lavanini made headlines by receiving a record-breaking third international red card for a high tackle. This incident cemented his status as the most sin-binned rugby player in Argentina's history.
Leicester Tigers player Tomas Lavanini during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby Match between Leicester Tigers and Sale Sharks on the fourth weekend round of matches as part of the Return to Rugby campaign as rugby continues after COVID 19 lockdown at Welford Road on 5 Sep. Photo: Steve Bond/PPAUK/Gallagher
#2. Eben Etzebeth (South Africa)
The world Cup-winning lock is undoubtedly world-class, but he is also one of the dirtiest players in the sport. If your team has played against him, you will not be a fan. A proper sh**house, but huge biceps.
#1. Peter O'Mahony (Ireland)
A flanker that plays on the edge and never fails to get under the skin of opposition fans.
His late hit on Stuart Hogg and foul-mouthed war of words with the Kyle Sinckler during the 2019 Six Nations did him no favours. The sort of player you love to have, but also love to hate.
Will Greenwood once wrote: "If all the wild horsemen of the apocalypse came around the corner O'Mahony would charge straight back at them."
The peak of his s***houser was O'Mahony saying to All Blacks flanker Sam Cane: "Who do you think you are? You're a sh** Richie McCaw,"
One fan wrote of the Ireland flanker: "O'Mahony is the sh**housiest sh**house to ever sh** a house."
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