Ellis Genge and Ben Youngs are team-mates both with England and Leicester Tigers
(Picture: Getty Images)England vice-captain Ellis Genge has paid tribute to his team-mate with club and country Ben Youngs, who will become the men’s national team’s most-capped player if he comes off the bench against Wales in the Six Nations at Twickenham on Saturday.
If all goes to plan, Youngs will win his 115th cap this weekend, overtaking the legendary prop Jason Leonard, who retired in 2004.
Eddie Jones named his squad for the match on Thursday, with Youngs remaining a replacement, having come off the bench for Harry Randall in the win over Italy 11 days ago.
Genge was full of praise for Youngs, with whom he plays at Leicester. The prop picked out Youngs’ decision to stand down from two British and Irish Lions tours to be with his family (his brother Tom’s wife, Tiff, has suffered with serious illness).
“I’ve got so much respect for the bloke,” said Genge. “I can’t describe it. The stuff he has sacrificed to achieve what he’s achieved in rugby, and what he gave up, which most people would take an arm off for, like staying at home for the Lions tours to support his brother and his family. He’s a f*****g legend, I love him to bits, he’s a great guy.
“For someone to do it 115 times, the weekend all being well, then play 200-odd times for club as well, that’s more than 300 senior games, not bearing in mind the amateur game… he’s just so much fun to be around.
“You’d think he’d get bored of it, but he turns up every day with a smile on his face regardless of what you’re doing, puts his arm round you and always pushes you to do your best. I’m not going to sit here and tell you he’s the most diligent bloke, does all these secret tricks to make his career long and prosperous, that’s not the case and he’d tell you that himself.
“‘Len’ has never taken himself too seriously. He has got his head down, done what he has needed to do and then gone above and beyond to achieve his goals: being himself.
“In public, he probably doesn’t give much away, he’s a bit different. He’s a larger-than-life character, full of energy, driving standards.”
Manu Tuilagi and captain Courtney Lawes come back into the England team against Wales, and Kyle Sinckler also starts to earn his 50th cap.
