Scrum-half has been one of the most unsettled positions in the Stuart Lancaster era even though only three players have started for England there: Ben Youngs, Lee Dickson and Danny Care. No one had made more than five consecutive appearances at No9 until this year but going into the World Cup, there is a sense of permanency in a key area.
Youngs, who was unable to get into England’s matchday squad as recently as the 2014 Six Nations, has started the past seven Tests for the men in white and with Care slipping to third in the rankings and Richard Wigglesworth overhauling Dickson, the Leicester captain looks destined to take the field for the tournament opener against Fiji.
Youngs says he has learned from what happened to him in the 2013-14 season when two years of virtually non-stop rugby caught up with him and affected his form so markedly that he was relegated to club duty while Care – two years after being dropped from the England squad for disciplinary reasons – enjoyed a renaissance.
“A big difference last season was that I had a summer off,” Youngs says. “In 2013 I came back from the Lions tour and I was straight back into action, playing in Jersey in a pre-season game. It was just rugby, rugby, rugby and it became a tough year. Time off left me hungry and refreshed the following summer and my confidence was up again, which is important for any player.
“People talk about player burnout and I switched off from rugby. I went away, took it easy and caught up with friends and family. Now we have another big period coming up: the World Cup will be followed by domestic rugby, the Six Nations and the tour to Australia. By the time that finishes, you will have three weeks off and your club will want you back. There is no doubt that in the next couple of years you will see some players suffer from burnout; I am glad I went through it when I did because there was not a golden egg at the end of it.”
Not that Youngs is assuming anything in a position that has statistically seen a change every three matches. He has started 19 of the 39 Tests under Lancaster to Care’s 12 and Dickson’s eight, finding favour not least because of his kicking game, the factor behind Wigglesworth’s elevation last season.
“Everyone’s motivation is making the 31 for the World Cup and there is tough competition at scrum-half where we are all pushing each other,” Youngs says. “My aim is to continue where I left off in the Six Nations, but there are still areas where I can improve. I am managing games better, putting the boys in the right areas and not being too loose when we are chasing a game. It has been about making small gains and captaining Leicester has helped. You have to make sure you’re setting an example, acting in a way you expect others to. Stuart has always been really keen on developing eight to 10 leaders within the side because he realises how important that is when it comes to making decisions in big games and I feel very much part of that.
“When Stuart took over in 2012, we were largely a group of young guys. We have developed and so has the leadership side. He had a vision when he came in which I don’t think everyone could see, but they can now. You don’t want to look too far ahead, but by 2019 there will be players with 70 or 80 caps and, with the Premiership so competitive, you gain experience through that. It is good to be finally thinking just about the World Cup. The standards around the training ground are already up and the camps are designed to make us as fit as we possibly can be.
“ Australia are in our group and they will not want to play a tight game because that is where we are strong: they will want to run us off the pitch and fitness is something you can control.”
Ben Youngs was speaking to promote the England Rugby World Cup shirt. Visit Canterbury.com
