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Wales Online
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
England star finds happiness after tragedy as he opens up on grief in emotive interview
England star finds happiness after tragedy as he opens up on grief in emotive interview England international Tom Youngs has found happiness again after the painful loss of his wife Tom Youngs shared some tips for grieving in a touching chat with brother Ben. (Image: For The Love Of Rugby ) Former England international Tom Youngs has opened up on his grieving process after losing his wife. Youngs retired with immediate effect to care for wife Tiffany, who was battling cancer. The pair shared a daughter, Maisie. Tiffany passed away in 2022 at the age of 35. She had initially been told she was in remission in 2018 after first being diagnosed in 2014, but the cancer came back. Now, more than three years later, Youngs has opened up on what it's been like for him from a mental standpoint. He appeared as a guest on a recent episode of 'For The Love Of Rugby' podcast, which is presented by his brother and fellow England international Ben Youngs, as well as Dan Cole. Being interviewed by Ben, Tom was asked "how is life now?" after numerous requests from viewers of the show. Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here. "Life's good now, actually," began Tom in an emotional but ultimately uplifting interview. Article continues below "I think I've found my feet. I've got Maisie at home. I've got a new girlfriend called Kate, which is fantastic, we're getting on well. "Life, will it ever be the same? Probably not. That's the reality. You've got a scar there but you can make the best out of life, as much as you want to do. "I'm a big believer in, if anyone's been through anything I've been through, do not try and stop life, because you cannot. "Life will just keep going forward. If you do try and stop it you're probably going to get yourself in a bit of trouble. You've got to roll with life. "Whatever it is, you've just got to keep going forward, as best you can and make the best of the situation you've got in some regards. "I'm very much a glass-half-full kind of guy, and I feel like that probably helped me a lot. But, don't try and stop it, because I think you can dig yourself in a deep hole very quickly." "I know that a lot of listeners will be very pleased to hear that," added Ben. "Life being good, that's OK as well," emphasised Tom. "I think I found that quite tricky. "Actually being happy was weird. Should I be happy? Shouldn't I be? But, yes. You should be. I didn't do anything wrong. Tiff didn't do anything wrong. "The situation happened and then we have to move on from that, and that's tough to say. But, that's reality. You've got to be OK that you are happy." Article continues below If you would like to watch the full episode, click here.
The Independent
22-04-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
England legend Ben Youngs announces retirement from rugby
England and Leicester Tigers legend Ben Youngs has confirmed his retirement from professional rugby at the end of the season. Youngs is the most-capped England men's rugby player, after making 127 appearances for his country between 2010 and 2023, and he played in the 2019 Rugby World Cup final defeat to South Africa, as well as going on the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia in 2013 – playing two of the Tests. The scrum half will also hang up his boots as a once-club man after debuting for the Leicester first team in a friendly against Argentina in February 2007 before becoming the club's youngest ever player in a league match, when he came off the bench against Bristol a couple of months later at the age of 17 years and 231 days. The 35-year-old has won five Premiership Rugby titles with Tigers ( 2007, 2009, 2010, 2013 and 2022) and made 332 appearances for the Midlands side. The Independent understands he had offers to continue his playing career in France but has decided to retire come the end of the season instead. Youngs also hosts popular podcast For The Love Of Rugby alongside long-time Leicester teammate Dan Cole – who is the second most-capped England men's rugby player of all time – and had teased a major announcement coming today, with speculation rife that he would be taking over as head coach at Tigers, with Michael Cheika set to depart at the end of the campaign. 'The time has come to give you some news,' said Youngs in his announcement on social media, addressed to Tigers fans. 'I'm not going to be head coach next year, that's not the news, however I will be finishing at the end of this season. 'It has been amazing, I thank you all. There will be plenty of time to say goodbye and say thanks but there is a lot of work still to be done. But with a lot of speculation going on, I wanted you to be the first to know this will be my final season. 'Thank you all and what a really, really exciting couple of months we've got ahead. I know that you'll be there in your thousands cheering us on as we push for the top-four spot.' Leicester could give Youngs the perfect send-off to his illustrious rugby career as they currently lie second in the Gallagher Premiership table with four matches to go until the end of season play-offs. The top four will qualify for those play-offs and Tigers are currently two points clear of fifth-placed Saracens in what is becoming a battle royale for the three remaining semi-final spots, behind runaway leaders Bath. Youngs retired from international rugby following the 2023 Rugby World Cup, his fourth World Cup with England, and as he now prepares to wave professional rugby goodbye altogether, he is targeting a memorable swansong. Youngs added: 'It's a bittersweet feeling really. Obviously, I'm sad at the thought it's coming to an end but I'm excited about the rest of this season, excited about what this group can do. 'That's the strange part, I'm using the 'r' word [retirement] but it isn't over today, there is still plenty of rugby left this season and that's what is at the front of my mind. I'm not done, let's not write the obituary just yet. 'I have spent two decades of my life here at the club and I have been lucky to be a part of some incredible moments along the way, enjoyed so much success and made memories that will last a lifetime. 'It's all I have known in club rugby, the green, red and white, and all I've wanted to know. The idea of playing against this club wasn't ever an option for me and so, for me to be able to finish a one-club player will be one of my greatest achievements. 'The time will come to thank everybody who have helped me achieve what I have but, that's for when it comes to an end. For now, it's about finishing this chapter of my life with some more success. I'm not done just yet.'
Telegraph
22-04-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Leicester stalwart Ben Youngs announces retirement
Ben Youngs will bring down the curtain on his 18-year career and retire from professional rugby at the end of the season. Youngs, who has 127 caps for his country – an England men's record – and another two for the British & Irish Lions, retired from international duty after the 2023 World Cup, helping Steve Borthwick's side to a third-place finish, but has continued playing for his boyhood club, Leicester Tigers, since. The 35-year-old spent the entirety of his club career at the Tigers, making his debut in 2007 for the club which also counted his father, Nick, and brother, Tom, among their former players. The scrum-half went on to play a record-equalling 19 seasons at Mattioli Woods Welford Road, winning five Premiership titles. On Tuesday, Youngs announced the news of his retirement on his podcast, For The Love Of Rugby, which he presents with fellow England and Leicester veteran Dan Cole. 'The time has come to give you some news,' Youngs said as he addresses Tigers fans in a video that was aired on the club's social media channels. 'I'm not going to be the head coach next year, that's not the news. However, I will be finishing at the end of this season. 'It has been amazing, I thank you all. There will be plenty of time to say goodbye, plenty of time to say thanks. There is still a lot of work to be done. 'But with a lot of speculation going on, I just wanted you to be the first to know that this will be my final season. Thank you all, what a really exciting couple of months we have ahead.' Youngs made his Leicester debut in February 2007 in a friendly against Argentina, which also happened to mark the final Leicester appearance of fellow Tigers legend, Graham Rowntree. Later that season, Youngs became the youngest player to have played in a Premiership match for Leicester - a record he still holds - when he came off the bench against Bristol. The scrum-half also came off the bench in the Tigers' Premiership final victory at the end of the 2006-07 season. Only club legend David Matthews, with 502 appearances, has managed as many consecutive campaigns at Welford Road as Youngs (19), while the only other player to match Youngs' record across the Premiership is fellow England scrum-half Danny Care, who is currently in the midst of his 19th straight campaign with Harlequins this season. With England, the scrum-half made his debut in a 10-10 draw against Scotland at Murrayfield as a replacement for Ugo Monye on the wing when Steve Borthwick, who would go on to coach Youngs for both club and country, was captain. In 2023, Youngs bowed out of the Test arena as one of only five Englishmen to be capped 100 times, in an international career that included four Six Nations titles, including the Grand Slam in 2016, while he also toured with the Lions in 2013. Youngs was once again selected for the 2017 tour but declined the offer of touring for family reasons.
Telegraph
18-02-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Henry Slade must prove worth to England side in double Smith era
Steve Borthwick may only have been England head coach since the end of 2022, but it feels as though his tenure can be split into three or four distinct eras. And no one player personifies that sense of fragmentation as much as Henry Slade. The 26-25 victory over France earlier his month represented Slade's 71st cap and his 14th England start in succession – the longest run of consecutive starts in a Test career that began back in 2015 with an outing alongside Sam Burgess in a World Cup warm-up game. Eight years later, he was a shock omission from the final squad for the 2023 tournament. Then after that campaign, with Joe Marchant's move to Stade Français, Slade seemed to go from surplus to essential. Since the beginning of 2024, only three other players – Maro Itoje, Tommy Freeman and Ben Earl – have tallied more than Slade's 1033 minutes. Those four individuals are the only men to have started all 14 Tests in that period. Lest we forget, Slade was whisked to Exeter Chiefs and told to prove his fitness in a Premiership game on the eve of the autumn internationals. Yet there remain plenty of sceptics who are curious about the 31-year-old's ongoing importance to England, especially if Fin Smith and Marcus Smith are to be retained as a pair of dovetailing distributors. For The Love Of Rugby, their podcast and YouTube show, gives Ben Youngs and Dan Cole a platform to break down matches with unrivalled insight into the England side and how it operates. Following the France win, they discussed in fascinating detail the benefits of fielding two 'playmakers' in tandem. Youngs declared that England had been 'crying out' for a pair of distributors in the absence of George Furbank to offer variety. Cole explained that, when a team has two organisers, one player will be able to 'step up at first-receiver' or 'rip down a short side and play to an edge so you can fall back into shape'. 'They've got to be able to organise within [attacking] shape,' Youngs added. 'And when you have one organiser/playmaker, they're having to do so many moving parts. It sounds simple, but you would be amazed at how many communicators don't actually organise out the back of [attacking] shape or know what they're looking for.' The inference here is that these co-hosts, who number 245 England caps between them, do not view Slade as a playmaker capable of coordinating team-mates and honing structure on the run. Indeed, Youngs would go on to state that Borthwick's side is 'not getting distribution' from its centres. This does not feel unfair. Although Slade grew up as a fly-half and has appeared there for Exeter recently, his influence on England's attack has seemed limited to fleeting moments, such as a deft grubber for Cadan Murley's try in Dublin, rather than assertive organisation of those around him. That's how you make your @EnglandRugby debut 😎 Cadan Murley 👏👏👏 #GuinnessM6N — Guinness Men's Six Nations (@SixNationsRugby) February 1, 2025 Should Borthwick persist with both Smiths together, there are valid arguments to pair Ollie Lawrence with either Fraser Dingwall, to maximise Northampton Saints synergy, or a more dynamic line-runner such as Oscar Beard. Across his 155 minutes on the pitch this Six Nations so far, Slade has thrown eight passes and kicked the ball seven times. He is rarely as prominent as one thinks he might be. England could surely use his left foot more in situations like this, for instance, as Ireland lean on James Lowe: That said, Slade is performing plenty of unappreciated work. Just as he ushered in the aggressive blitz while Felix Jones was defence coach, Slade is helping the team settle into a softer drift system. This was given a severe examination in round two because France crash heavy carriers close to the ruck before spreading the ball wide when the defence has become narrow. Here, in the opening moments, Slade has Thomas Ramos covered. However, Tommy Freeman jams in. This allows Ramos to free Pierre-Louis Barassi: Watch this phase a few minutes later. England are dangerously narrow. As part of a blitz, Slade would be encouraged to dart from out-to-in and target a carrier. Instead, he backs off and tracks across to drag down Ramos: On the following phase, Tom Curry bursts off the line to force a spill from Alexandre Roumat: This angle illustrates the ground that Slade covers off the ball: Similarly understated graft brought about England's first try. Slade is set up as a potential first-receiver from this scrum before Freeman carves off his wing, taking a pass from Alex Mitchell and trucking through Matthieu Jalibert. Slade supports to generate a quick ruck: Fin Smith dinks ahead on the next phase and a strong England chase leads to a poor clearance from Antoine Dupont. Ben Earl has dropped to gather, and Slade also cycles into the back-field. He alerts Earl to the opportunity and runs the ball back, linking with Freeman: England eventually earn the five-metre scrum from which Lawrence scores. Slade may feel as though he should have stayed out of the ruck prior to this Damian Penaud try, because he committed to the breakdown without making an impact and left England even more understaffed than they were already: Try scoring machine Damian Penaud — Ultimate Rugby (@ultimaterugby) February 8, 2025 But he also won ground with this dink, Ramos covering across to hack into touch on the full: From the ensuing line-out, Slade feeds Marcus Smith as part of a strike move that gives Lawrence a run: England cut through France with some slick shape conducted by Fin Smith as Marcus Smith is involved in the previous breakdown: Slade is in position as the first-receiver on the back of Tom Curry's break until Marcus Smith darts in front and spills: Now, Borthwick's comments about the match-winning try were interesting. He spoke about how, in the loss to South Africa during the autumn, a midfield of Marcus Smith, Slade and Lawrence had failed to execute the same play as incisively. In that game, rathert than pull a pass behind the lead runner to Marcus Smith, Slade sent Lawrence up the middle twice within five minutes. On both occasions, the Springboks held firm. Borthwick replaced Slade with Elliot Daly in the 75th minute against France, with Freeman moving from the wing to centre to join Lawrence. That is another direction that England's midfield could move in the future. What should not be overlooked is that Lawrence has been influential in the past two matches, which suggests that he has settled alongside Slade and that Borthwick is developing cohesion thanks to his consistent selection in that area. Slade has continued to attack like a 12 and defend in the 13 channel, where Scotland are bound to flood runners. This was a clever play from France. From an off-the-top line-out, Dupont feeds Jalibert, who threads a pass behind Grégory Alldritt and across a roaming Damian Penaud to Yoram Moefana. Moefana fixes both Lawrence and Slade, which allows him to put Barassi into space: Borthwick places great stock in experience, which Jamie George vindicated last weekend, and Slade is clearly coveted for the attributes that he brings. But Borthwick is also refreshing the England squad gradually. Indeed, Ben Youngs and Dan Cole are two veterans to have been usurped during Borthwick's tenure. With the deployment of two back-line playmakers potentially requiring a different balance, Slade must continue to demonstrate his value to England.
