England's most-capped player Ben Youngs has announced that he will retire from international rugby at the end of the ongoing Rugby World Cup in France.
Steve Borthwick's side will bring their World Cup campaign to an end in the third-place playoff against Argentina on Friday night, having agonisingly missed out on the place in the final courtesy of a one-point defeat to South Africa last weekend.
Youngs has been named in the starting lineup for the match against the Pumas - his first start of the tournament and his record-extending 127th appearance overall for his country.
The scrum-half's tally will leave him 13 caps clear of England's next-highest appearance-maker, prop Jason Leonard, while of the current crop Owen Farrell is closest - he will earn cap number 112 against Argentina.
"I feel unbelievably proud and privileged to have done this for so long. The memories and teammates I've made along the way, as well as all the highs and lows, have helped shape me into the person I am today," Youngs said in a statement.
"It's been an absolute privilege to have been given support from my family and the England fans as well. I'd like to thank you all very much for getting behind the team, for cheering us through the good times and for picking us up through the bad times.
One more match...@benyoungs09's πππππ‘ Test cap for England will be the final one of a record-breaking career πΉπ#RWC2023 | #ARGvENG
β England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) October 25, 2023
"It's a great honour now that I get to play one more game on Friday night and close a chapter that I'm very proud of.
"The record and the caps are nice, but they aren't what means the most to me. The biggest things I'll take away are the memories. This is a special team and I'll be joining everyone in the stands to cheer them on, because it's a team worth getting behind.
"I just want to make sure we win against Argentina. It's Tom Curry's 50th and the guys have poured so much into the last few months as a group so I just want to finish on a high alongside them and then sit in the changing room for one last time to soak it all in."
Youngs made his debut for England in March 2010, when current head coach Borthwick was captain, and has gone on to feature at four World Cups in addition to being part of the British and Irish Lions tour of 2013.
The Lions won that tour, adding to an international trophy cabinet which also includes four Six Nations titles, including a Grand Slam in 2016, for Youngs.
The Leicester Tigers stalwart is one of only five players to have reached triple figures of England appearances, and his announcement follows that of another from that quintet, with Courtney Lawes having also announced his intention to end his international career.
Barney Corkhill
