Ben Youngs, former England scrum half and Leicester Tigers’ win over Northampton Saints has convinced him that the Premiership race this year will be very tight.
Youngs retired from the game as England’s highest-capped male player following the World Cup. He helped Tigers win their first victory at home of the season on Saturday.
With the win, 2022 Champions Newcastle are now seven points ahead of their bottom-placed rivals.
Youngs stated that “each team can win on its own day.”
Tigers won only the second game in six this season, but there were several factors that contributed to their slow start.
The team has recently welcomed players back from the World Cup.
A week before the Saints match, World Cup winners Handre Pollard and Francois van Wk returned to Tigers ranks along with England’s Youngs and Ollie Chessum.
They were waiting on the cavalry’s arrival.
Youngs believes that Leicester’s slow start to the season this year is a reasonable one.
He told BBC Radio 5 Live, “We are realistic.” The first four to five matches we played had about 10 players missing, but now the team is together and we will get there. “
McKellar said that the victory over Saints gave Tigers an opportunity to continue “building cohesion in the group” as they move forward.
They can only do so many things in pre-season, when they waited for the cavalry. But it is great to be returning. “
Youngs is England’s all-time most-capped male player. He says that deciding to end his international career and focus on playing only for Tigers will allow him to “narrow” his attention. This, he describes as “comfortable” and “special”.
With their internationals back in the fold, Tigers hope to move up the league table and into the top four of a 10-team Premiership, down from the 13 teams that existed before the deaths of Worcester Wasps, London Irish, and London Irish last year.
You want rugby to become a fantastic product.
After just six matches, there are only four points between the top five Premiership sides. Sale Sharks will face Bath on Friday to test their early title credentials.
With only one-third of the season left, Youngs believes the remainder of the campaign will be very competitive.
He said, “I believe it will be very, tight.”
It’ll likely come down to last weekend, which is exactly what you are looking for. You want to see rugby become a fantastic product. “
