Leicester Tigers Legend And England Rugby’s Most Capped Mens Player Ben Youngs Announces Retirement

Leicester Tigers and former England scrum-half Ben Youngs has announced his retirement at the end of this season, after nearly 20 years of professional rugby.

Having become the most-capped England men’s player of all time, Ben Youngs has enjoyed a remarkable career.

With 127 international appearances for the Red Rose and more than 300 club games for the Tigers, he spent his entire career at the top of the sport.

Youngs, 35, won four Six Nations titles with England, including a Grand Slam in 2016.

He played a crucial role for the British & Irish Lions in 2013, earning two test caps as the Lions beat Australia 2-1 for their first series win since 1997.

With Leicester, he was a five-time Premiership winner and a three-time Anglo-Welsh Cup (now Premiership Cup) winner.

But he has now decided the time is right to end his illustrious career, announcing his retirement via social media.

Ben Youngs Announces Retirement From Rugby

Speaking on his podcast, For the Love of Rugby, Youngs revealed to Leicester teammate and close friend Dan Cole that he had decided to retire at the end of the current season.

He said: “It is time for me to finish up. At the end of this season, I will be calling time on my professional rugby career.

“It’s been amazing. Full of contentment and it feels right. The time is right for me to finish at the end of this season and close that chapter.

“So many players say, in so many sports, that ‘when you know, you know’ and they’re right, you just do.

“You can try and kid yourself, you can try and convince yourself, but when it’s a consistent feeling you know that it’s the right time to call time.”

Teammates And Coaches Pay Tribute To ‘Legend’ Youngs

As news broke of Youngs; impending retirement, tributes from former coaches, opponents and teammates rolled in.

In a reel posted on Instagram, some of rugby’s biggest names shared messages congratulating him on a wonderful career.

South African double World Cup winner and Youngs’ current Leicester teammate, Handre Pollard, was full of praise for England’s most-capped man.

Pollard said: “I watched you growing up, got to play against you a few times and eventually had the privilege and honour of sharing the rugby field and locker room with you, my friend.”

And England prop Ellis Genge added a heartfelt message.

“From the bottom of my heart, I could sit here and abuse you and have a laugh but [you are] sincerely one of the best blokes I’ve met,” he said.

Freddie Burns, who kicked the winning drop goal as he and Youngs won the Premiership with Leicester in 2022, paid further tribute to his old teammate.

Burns said: ‘You’ll no doubt go down as one of the greatest to ever play the game, but the fact that you’re a pretty decent rugby player is a side show to you being a great bloke, mate.”