Argentina v England: Ben Youngs to retire from Test rugby after World Cup third-place play-off
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It feels the right time to retire from England duty - Youngs
2023 Rugby World Cup: Argentina v England |
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Venue: Stade de France, Paris Date: Friday, 27 October Kick-off: 20:00 BST |
Coverage: Commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live, plus text updates on the BBC Sport website and app |
Ben Youngs, England's most capped men's player, will end his international career after the World Cup third-place play-off against Argentina on Friday.
The 34-year-old scrum-half will win his 127th England cap against the Pumas in his first start of the tournament.
Youngs is behind Alex Mitchell and Leicester team-mate Jack van Poortvliet in the England pecking order.
He made his Test debut against Scotland in March 2010 when current coach Steve Borthwick was captain.
Youngs' announcement follows the international retirement of lock Courtney Lawes, who made his 105th and final Test appearance in England's World Cup semi-final defeat by South Africa.
Speaking to BBC Rugby Union Daily, Youngs said his international career has been "a great ride".
"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."
Youngs surpassed Jason Leonard's record of 114 caps in February 2022
Youngs has played in four World Cups, toured Australia with the British and Irish Lions in 2013 and is one of only five Englishmen to be capped 100 times.
He won four Six Nations titles, including the Grand Slam in 2016, and was a beaten finalist in the 2019 World Cup.
Youngs' international career began on the wing as a replacement for the injured Ugo Monye during a Calcutta Cup draw with the Scots.
A few months later, he marked his first Test start at scrum-half with a try in the 21-20 win over Australia in Sydney.
Youngs surpassed World Cup-winning prop Jason Leonard to become England's most capped men's player on his 115th appearance in the Six Nations win over Wales in February 2022.
He said small milestones between the 2019 World Cup final and the current tournament in France, such as beating Leonard's record, kept him going.
"World Cups are so long away and four years is a long old time when it comes to form, injuries and different ways of playing," Youngs added.
"After the 2019 final, I wanted to get to 100 caps. I was on 99 for a while and had to wait.
"Then suddenly [Jason] Leonard's record came into sight and so I had these little milestones between 2019 and 2023 which definitely helped. If I didn't have them in between, I'm not sure I would've been able to do it.
"It takes a lot and you are competing every week to play. It's also the time away from the family. I'm so content I'm finishing on Friday. It's a great feeling and hopefully there will be one more high, then I can walk away with Courtney [Lawes]."
Youngs will finish 26 caps short of Sarah Hunter's England record, who made her 141st and final appearance for the Red Roses in March.
You can listen to Ben Youngs' full interview on Thursday's Rugby Union Daily
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