Talking Rugby Union Exclusive with Ben Youngs

With less than a week to go before the 2014 Six Nations commence on the 1^st of February Talking Rugby Union caught up with Leicester Tigers, England and British Lions scrum-half Ben Youngs to see how he was preparing for the tournament and for his thoughts on how both England and Leicester would fair in the Six Nations and Aviva Premiership, respectively.

Ben, still only 24, seems to have been at the top of the English game for a considerable amount of time, with 111 appearances for the Tigers and over 30 caps for his country.

Youngs was also selected for last year’s momentous British and Irish Lions tour of Australia, where he won two caps on the tour.

Ben has followed in the footsteps of his father, Nick Youngs, who also played scrum-half for both Leicester and England. His older brother Tom also plays for the Tigers and England alongside him.

Ben made his Leicester first team debut against Argentina in 2007 and then became Leicester's youngest ever league player when he came off the bench against Bristol. Since then the young playmaker has never looked back, as he now has a long list of accolades and trophy’s to his name.

Youngs played through the international age-groups, representing England at U16, U18 and U20s level. In addition he has played for the England Sevens team, England A and made his full international start in England’s 21-20 win over Australia in Sydney in 2010.

After showing signs of something special over the autumn internationals England are now fully focused on the coming Six Nations, whilst trying to build a solid squad for the World Cup next year.

Ben explained that the feeling in camp when they arrived last week would “be one of excitement.

“The Six Nations is a great tournament that you want to be a part of,” continued Ben, “and I think that as the excitement of it starts to build up we will grow in confidence.

“When you meet up there’s always sure to be a good buzz about it.”

However, the side have already suffered a number of set-backs with a whole host of injuries throughout their squad. As a result Stuart Lancaster has had to initiate a large number of young, emerging talent from the Saxons squad to fill the gaps; however, Ben believes that the squad will start to gel together well:

“There is still a lot of experience in the side, so I think the team will gel together pretty quickly.

“There’s always going to be changes through injury or form, and other things like that, so I think that is just something that we as players have to adapt to.

“As you said, there are some big injuries to key players, but that only creates an opportunity for other guys to showcase what they can do.

“As players I think you’ve just got to help them through that and get to know them and get to know how they like to play as quick as you can.”

Of the new players that have been included in the squad Ben first highlighted Jonny May as “someone I’ve obviously come across a lot and play against, so I think he has a great chance to do well.

“Anthony Watson as well has been playing really well for Bath; he really looked like the real-deal when we played against him a few weeks ago.

“I think it’s really important that you try and make those guys feel at ease as quickly as possible so they can continue the good form they have had for their club and enjoy the environment of being with England.”

England’s first game is away to France, in Paris, on Saturday the first of February.

The French are notoriously strong, in the Six Nations, the year after a British Lions tour, so the game will be a good test to see where England are at from the get-go.

Ben says the side will be confident as they cross the channel and he championed how key it is to “go over there and take it to them.

“The French are always very good if you sit off and give them plenty of time, so it’s all about making sure you hit your stride as quickly as you can: you don’t want to be in Paris and not quite on your game, because if that’s the case then you’re probably going to be in trouble.”

The Tigers scrum-half does face stiff competition for the starting spot in this year’s Six Nations, however, with the likes of on-form Lee Dickson and Danny Care for company, with also, Saracens’s Richard Wigglesworth training with the squad.

When preparing for the competition, though, Ben admitted that selection over others “is not something I think about too much.

“I just take each game as it comes, focus on it and then crack on – what will be will be.

“Obviously we don’t get a say in who starts and who plays, but the one thing you can do is just to play as well as you can for your club and then train as hard as you can when you’re with England.

“You can’t get too worried about who’s there and who’s playing well – you’ve just got to focus on yourself.”

Until next week Ben’s main focus is on doing his job for Leicester – the reigning Premiership Champions – who have struggled at points this season.

The Tigers currently sit fifth in the league, level on points with Harlequins in fourth and just four behind Bath in third. However, the midlands side – who are not often used to being anywhere but the top – are a worrying 15 points behind second place Northampton and 18 behind Saracens.

However, Ben admitted that it was going to be a tough second half of the season:

“It’s going to be very difficult with so many teams so close to each other in the table, but the good thing for us is that we have so many players coming back that are going to be fit again now, coming back from some fairly long injuries.

“It’s important that when the Six Nations is under way guys are performing and keeping us in a good position.

“Saracens and Northampton have definitely cemented themselves in those top two spots now but when we come back from the Six Nations we will want to be there or there abouts for that third or fourth place spot.

“Getting into those playoffs is the most important thing, because aiming for a home semi is looking very difficult as things stand at the moment.”

The Tigers have been in the forefront of rugby news at the moment with Toby Flood’s recent announcement that he will leave Welford Road to move to France at the end of the season.

The club captain, who has represented Leicester 106 times to date, has also given up his international career as English players playing overseas are not allowed to represent the national team.

Ben has been Flood’s long-standing half-back partner, but he admits that whilst Toby is a great player to lose, changes in personnel is just part-and-parcel of the professional game:

“Players come and go and that’s always part of it; obviously I’ve always had a big relationship with Floody but someone else will come along that should be good.

“Someone new will challenge me in different ways and keep my mind fresh having to work with someone else.

“It was obviously the time for Toby to take up a new challenge and you just have to see who comes in and look forward to working with them.”

There has been wide speculation – although not yet set in stone- that Gloucester fly-half Freddie Burns, who has announced he will leave Kingsholm at the end of the season, will take up the role left by Flood.

Burns is a member of the current England Six Nations squad and has featured in the same squad as Ben for a few year now.

“I haven’t played with him too much, but I know how he plays from watching him,” Ben added, “and I think if it was him to come to the club I think he would be a great asset.

“I’m sure that Leicester would get the best out of a guy like him.”

Finally, we asked Ben about a few of his playing experiences over the years for both club and country, and, first off, who his toughest player to play against was:

“In terms of just not knowing what they’re going to do it would definitely have to be Will Genia,” Ben explained, “that would be in terms of his ability to change the game and keep everyone on the pitch guessing.

“He’s also a guy I watch a lot and try and learn off; he’s a tremendous player and the toughest opponent I’ve come against.”

Lastly Ben highlighted that his greatest rugby moment(s) “was obviously being involved in a Lions tour. That was a huge honour for me and that’s something I’m very proud of.

“Also, my first England start when I managed to score and we beat Australia away from home, that was another great moment and something that I’m really proud of.”

Ben and England’s Six Nations campaign begins on Saturday the 1^st of February when England travel to Paris to take on the French.