England Rugby Star Finds Love Again After Tragedy – Opens Up on Grief

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Youngs retired from rugby with immediate effect to care for Tiffany as she bravely battled illness. The couple shared a daughter, Maisie, and had been through a long journey since Tiffany's initial diagnosis in 2014. She was told she was in remission in 2018, but the cancer sadly returned.

Appearing on the ‘For The Love Of Rugby’ podcast—hosted by his brother and fellow England international Ben Youngs alongside prop Dan Cole—Tom reflected on the pain, the healing, and how life has taken a new turn.

“Life’s good now, actually,” said Tom, in an interview that struck a powerful balance between honesty and hope.

“I think I've found my feet. I've got Maisie at home. I've got a new girlfriend called Kate, which is fantastic, we're getting on well.”

“Life, will it ever be the same? Probably not. That’s the reality. You’ve got a scar there but you can make the best out of life, as much as you want to do.”

The 35-cap England star also shared advice for those facing grief of their own:

“I'm a big believer in, if anyone's been through anything I've been through, do not try and stop life, because you cannot.

Life will just keep going forward. If you do try and stop it, you're probably going to get yourself in a bit of trouble. You've got to roll with life.”

Ben, moved by his brother’s journey, told him:

“I know that a lot of listeners will be very pleased to hear that.”

Tom added:

“Life being good, that's OK as well... Actually being happy was weird. Should I be happy? Shouldn't I be? But, yes. You should be. I didn't do anything wrong. Tiff didn't do anything wrong.
The situation happened and then we have to move on from that... You've got to be OK that you are happy.”

If you would like to watch the full episode, click here.

Here are four Lions who failed to fire, with scores and quotes from the top rugby outlets.

RUCK 5 | RugbyPass 6 | Express 5

RUCK: “He really struggled up against the Forces’ pace to the game and gave away some silly penalties in and around the breakdown.”

RugbyPass: “Busy in the tight but appeared to be on the wrong side of Ben O’Keeffe’s whistle early on, giving away two breakdown penalties.”

Express: “Needless penalties in first half before being replaced in second.”

Beirne’s move to the back row didn’t pay off. He looked off-rhythm early and conceded costly penalties that gave the Force momentum. Not the kind of calm leadership expected from such an experienced Lion. Discipline will be non-negotiable in the Tests — and Beirne knows it.

RUCK 5 | Planet Rugby 5 | Telegraph 4

RUCK: “Really struggled under the pressure at the scrum... a passenger struggling with the Forces’ physicality.”

Planet Rugby: “Struggled in the scrums but was busy around the park.”

Telegraph: "The Force put the Lions scrum under serious pressure which leaves his position vulnerable after Ellis Genge’s strong performance last week."

Schoeman found the going tough up front, especially in the first half. He offered his usual work rate in loose play, but the Force repeatedly got the better of him at the scrum — and that pressure filtered through the Lions' entire pack. Didn't show the presence he had against Argentina.

RUCK 5 | Planet Rugby 5 | Telegraph 4

RUCK: “Struggled in the physicality department… lost the battle at set piece and was on the back foot for the majority of the game.”

Planet Rugby: “Not nearly as dominant in the scrums as he was a week ago… managed to get through a decent amount of defence work.”

Telegraph: "Would have hoped for a more dominant performance against a converted loosehead in Tom Robertson. Got through a lot of tackles and some soft hands in phase play."

Another surprise dip. Furlong, usually a reliable anchor at the set piece, had an unusually shaky night. While his hands and defence were solid, the Lions needed dominance — not damage control — from the veteran tighthead. He’ll be under pressure to bounce back quickly.

RUCK 4 | RugbyPass 5.5 | Express 5 | Balls.ie 5

RUCK: “At the forefront of the Lions’ biggest Achilles heel, which was kick-off restarts… maybe played himself out of test contention.”

RugbyPass: “Failed to reclaim the restart… and the second-half kick-off too.”

Balls.ie: “Targeted for restarts and struggled there.”

Express: “Line-out worked but didn’t see much carrying.”

Telegraph: "An absolute disaster at the restarts where he was mercilessly targeted by the Force."

A frustrating night for the Scottish lock. Missed two restarts — one of which directly led to the Force’s only try — and gave away a soft penalty near his own line. Made plenty of tackles, but his aerial work and general impact left a lot to be desired. A golden opportunity missed.

12 years have passed since Warren Gatland’s men roared to a famous series win over Australia, but how well do you really remember the iconic 2013 British & Irish Lions squad?

From legendary leaders to surprise selections, we’ve lined up every player from that unforgettable tour. All you have to do is name them. No pressure, right?

Take the quiz below and prove your rugby brain still bites.

? Scroll down and get cracking – how many can you get without cheating?