Tom Youngs: Leicester and England hooker takes indefinite leave due to wife's illness

Tom Youngs has played more than 200 games for Leicester Tigers

Leicester and ex-England hooker Tom Youngs is taking indefinite leave from the club to look after his ill wife.

The 34-year-old has not played this season and has been replaced as club captain by Ellis Genge.

"Tigers are offering support in all forms to Tom and the Youngs family during this period," the club said.

Tiffany Youngs was diagnosed with cancer in 2014 and Tom pulled out of England's tour of New Zealand that year to care for her.

His younger brother Ben, a Leicester and England team-mate, withdrew from the British and Irish Lions squad to tour New Zealand in 2017 because of her serious health situation.

Asked recently about Youngs' absence, head coach Steve Borthwick merely confirmed he was unavailable for selection.

"At this time, the Youngs family have requested privacy and there will be no further comment from Tom, the Youngs family or Leicester Tigers on this matter," the club added.

'Sad and sobering news'

by Adam Whitty, BBC Radio Leicester rugby reporter

This is very sad and sobering news from the Youngs family, who have been through a huge amount already with serious illness in recent years

Tom and his wife Tiff Youngs spoke incredibly powerfully in 2018 after her remarkable and inspiring recovery from a terminal cancer diagnosis. How desperate, then, to read she is battling illness once again.

Leicester have missed Youngs at hooker this season, but rugby, and almost everything else, pales in comparison with what he and his family face off the field.