‘I feel like I can roll my sleeves up and get after it’: Ben Youngs sets sights on World Cup place after recovering from tragic death of his brother
Ben Youngs has admitted he had the ‘weight of the world’ on his shoulders at the end of last season when he helped Leicester to Gallagher Premiership glory.
England scrum-half Youngs played in the Tigers’ final victory over Saracens at Twickenham in June, a game which came just weeks after the death of his brother Tom’s wife, Tiffany, following a heroic battle with cancer.
Youngs then missed England’s summer tour of Australia to grieve with his family. But on the eve of the new season, England’s record cap holder is ready to tear into a campaign which has what would be his fourth World Cup at the end of it.
Ben Youngs admits he had the ‘weight of the world’ on his shoulders at the end of last season
‘For the first time in a long time I’ve got no external weight of the world on my shoulders and I can go out and do what I want to do,’ said Youngs.
‘I’m hugely excited, I truly am. I feel like I can roll my sleeves up and get after it. This year for the first time in a good few years my personal life is good.
‘I’ve got nothing going on there and can fully focus on what I love doing which is playing rugby.
‘Everyone has things going on in their lives, but this is a chance now where I have got nothing that can take me away from what I am trying to achieve. It’s something that excites me.’
The fact Youngs helped Leicester become champions of England while battling family grief remains nothing short of extraordinary, but doing so took its toll.
Youngs missed England’s summer tour of Australia so he could grieve with his family
It was an entirely sensible decision for him to miss July’s three Tests with the Wallabies.
‘When you’re going through something like that (grief) and it’s so close to home, then life can be really unpredictable,’ added Youngs, 33.
‘Things can change really quickly, but one thing that allows stability is rugby. It gives you a routine and output for those frustrations. I believe it (a break) has put me in a better space ahead of the new season for sure.’
Youngs is virtually certain to remain a key figure for England head coach Eddie Jones in the year to come‘It narrows the focus when you say in 12 months’ time there is a World Cup,’ said Youngs. ‘I am no different to any other English player who wants to be part of that.’
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