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'I saw him at 12.30 and was operated on at two o'clock... it all happened pretty quickly'
Ben Youngs expects to be fully involved in England’s Word Cup training camp after revealing he was left with no option but to undergo shoulder surgery.
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Youngs was hurt in the climax to the Guinness Six Nations against Scotland and on April 6 it was announced he had undergone a procedure to repair the damage that would require three months of rehabilitation.
It was an alarming development as Eddie Jones invested heavily in Youngs as his first choice scrum-half to the point that there is no clear hierarchy in the position beneath him.
But having completed the operation, the 29-year-old should be available for the four warm-up Tests that precede Japan 2019.
“At the time I felt it but thought it was OK and it would settle. I then had it scanned, went and saw the specialist, and he said ‘you just can’t play’,” Youngs told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Rugby Union Weekly podcast.
Blimey that had everything. The Job far from done but a huge 4 points for us well done lads @LeicesterTigers ?? how good was @George_Fordy and @GuyThompson87
— Ben Youngs (@benyoungs09) April 12, 2019
“I saw him at 12.30 and was being operated on at two o’clock so it all happened pretty quickly. You never want to miss games but it happened and I didn’t really have a choice in it. But it should be 12 weeks and a pretty simple recovery time provided there are no hiccups.”
Leaving with having to watch Leicester’s relegation battle from the sidelines, Youngs was cheered by the influence of out-half George Ford when Tigers crucially beat Newcastle 27-22 last Friday to go eight points clear of Falcons, who are bottom of the Premiership.
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“I dare say without him, I don’t know where we would be,” continued Youngs. “He’s a world-class player and he’s showing that to everyone.”
"Without him, I don't know where we would be."
Leicester Tigers would be much deeper in relegation trouble were it not for the "phenomenal" George Ford, says team-mate Ben Youngs.
More here ? https://t.co/YjzVJXxsvt pic.twitter.com/m3q5jEOoC1
— BBC Rugby Union (@bbcrugbyunion) April 16, 2019
Defeat at Kingston Park would have left the Tigers on the verge of relegation to the Championship, but two tries from Guy Thompson and 12 points from Ford coupled with a valiant late defensive effort secured a priceless win.
“I just think he’s been unbelievable the last few weeks. His game control at the weekend was just phenomenal,” he added.
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“He has continued to grab the bull by the horns and steer the ship. Given the adversity, to play like he has, is credit to him.
“But we still have three games to go and the Premiership has been just crazy. Until we are guaranteed safety, I will still be watching very nervously.”
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Comments on RugbyPass
Forget the 85kg bit, that can become something else. However I do like the one off test on ANZAC day idea. SR plays Fri/ Sat, test players travel Sunday and the squads have the full week together before playing Saturday. Rest of SR has a week off. Either involve women's teams in same location or in the other country and rotate annually. Herbert is right in that change is needed.
3 Go to commentsI’ve read loads of nonsense before but this article takes the cake. Or perhaps someone changed the date for April Fool's Day.
3 Go to commentsReally Rugbypass? Ben Smith I think you forgot what the Springboks did to the All Blacks at Twickenham 8 weeks earlier? Springboks 35 All Blacks 7. There is alot of ifs and buts in your article. The All Blacks threw the sink at the Springboks and unfortunately they were not good enough regardless if they played with 14 men or not. It was the Springboks who forced the All Blacks to make mistakes! Sorry but not Sorry the Springboks is the best ever Rugby World Cup Nation in the world. 4 Cups baby!
164 Go to commentsYou just backed the Boks with that fantastic review! Well done! Have some cake!
164 Go to commentsBen Smith please write up something better than this. The Springboks would have won the world cup if you were 15 men on the field. They would have found a way, they always find a way to beat the All Blacks.
164 Go to commentsWow, there is a lot of “could have” and “ should have” in this waist of time dribble. I love the deportation in this story to search for a glimpse at a silver lining. Here are the facts, NZ was a badly coached and undisciplined shadow of their former glory. They never took the lead in a game they were never going to win.
164 Go to commentsGOTTA MAKE ‘THE GEORGE’ HAPPEN!!!! That’s a great idea! A trans Tasman midget battle on ANZAC Day. I don’t think the ABs Wallabies game should be a one off winner takes all though, just the first match with the other two later in the year with the RC. Reason being, no one will ever shut up about how aussies couldn’t win it when it was a 3 match series.
3 Go to comments@Ben smith. Thats knock out rugby. So honeslty who cares?
164 Go to commentsIt will interesting to know which Irish players said that…
1 Go to commentsNaaaww boys will be boys! Now run along ya wee scamp! Don’t let us catch you at again😏
1 Go to commentsGreat to have Ethan Blackadder back in the Crusaders in the last few weeks. One of the best all round loose forwards around. He played so well last week against the Rebels. Fantastic attitude Ethan has and his comments are spot on.
2 Go to commentsThe author is 100% right. The Springboks know that they don't have near the natural attraction, mana, skill and mystic the All Blacks have. So, Chasing the sun 1 & 2 was concocted to overblow the Boks image on the back of a corruptly obtained “win". It's marketing ploy to force the Boks delusion as the World's Best. I guess World Rugby is also not to be believed when it came out with an apology about how the final was officiated. And if the 2023 final such a superb game by the Boks, then the Boks crying about Referee Bryce Lawrence for decades is also deserves a laugh. Chase the sun and get burned like a moth. A very well written literary piece that tore the Boks and Chasing the sun farce to shreds. 🖤All Blacks🏉
164 Go to commentsI’d say France was far more hard done by in the 2011 final than the All Blacks in this game. Joubert simply refused to call a penalty against the All Blacks in the last quarter even directing an All Black to drop a ball he picked up in an offside position rather than penalizing him. This article also totally discounts the efforts of PSTD. Ask Jordie how well he played. Or the backup flank who played hooker for the entire game. Siya was also a brilliant tackle by Richie from scoring a blinder. Pollard was also fantastic. Look I don’t like the boks style but the only thing more questionable than the content of this article is the timing of it. Get over it already
164 Go to commentsDad Marty was also a handy rugby player for Linwood back in the day. Great bloke. Sensational softball career.
2 Go to commentsWhat ifs are always dangerous. If you look at the game before Sam cane got sent of SA was dominating. You could make the argument the going down to 14 men rallied the troops and made them have to play to win which is always dangerous.
164 Go to commentsOmg… you are bruised And battered Benny. Stop crying … the scoreboard speaks. What a pathetic lover you are.. 🤣🤣🤣
164 Go to commentsPacific Lions, cry me a river
164 Go to commentsThis is the single worst piece of journalism I have ever seen since your last one. As a neutral, who really states that there should be an asterisk next to a win? You are an utter embarrassment to real AB fans, journalism and that joke of a house which pays you for this nonsense. Get a life, Ben.
164 Go to commentsGuys. Cancel the World Cup champions after this analysis. It changes everything. Ben knows. We’ll have to unengrave the Bokke off the trophy and hand it to the ABs, now that I’ve been enlightened about this illegitimate win. This needs to be done. Now!
164 Go to commentsBen is right here though, Springboks were woefully poor with the advantage they had throughout this game. The France match was heroic because that was an even contest this match had it taken place in Rugby Championship would have been an easy win for NZ. If anything this match should tell the Bok coaches that a lot of this team should be changed. They beat this same NZ team by record margin with the same circumstances but with a different core. They bring back the tried and tested guys and they nearly botch this game.
164 Go to comments