Record-breaker Youngs to retire after England clash with Pumas

Cian Cheesbrough
LiveScore
  
Ben Youngs will make his 127th and final England appearance on Friday
Publicidad

Ben Youngs will make his final England appearance in Friday's World Cup third-place play-off against Argentina after announcing his decision to retire from international rugby.

Scrum-half Youngs, who is England's most-capped men's player, will play his 127th game for the Red Roses after being selected in Steve Borthwick's team to face the Pumas.

The 34-year-old has been behind Alex Mitchell and fellow veteran Danny Care in the pecking order during the tournament but will get his chance to wave goodbye to international rugby in Paris.

Youngs told the BBC Rugby Union Daily podcast: "I feel incredibly proud to have done it for this long.

"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. 

Publicidad

"I look forward to playing club rugby and supporting this team from a distance but it's been a great ride."

Ben Youngs won a Grand Slam with England at the 2016 Six Nations

Youngs made his Test debut against Scotland in March 2010, when Borthwick was his captain.

The Leicester Tigers No9 is currently at his fourth World Cup after representing his country in 2011, 2015 and 2019.

He won the Grand Slam with England in 2016 and has three more Six Nations titles to his name, while he made two Test appearances for the British and Irish Lions during a glittering career.

Publicidad

Youngs joins vice-captain and second-row forward Courtney Lawes in stepping away from the international arena.

Following Saturday's semi-final defeat to defending champions South Africa, Lawes said: "I think it's time.

"I've done four World Cups, so I'm pretty happy with that.

"It's a bit of an end of an era but it's been a real honour for me to represent England for so long.

"To be able to finish with this group, it's something I'll treasure forever."

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