Ben Youngs, England’s most-capped player, admits he will have to prove himself all over again for new coach Steve Borthwick.
The scrum-half has 121 caps to his name and is closing in on a fourth World Cup, yet Eddie Jones’ sacking has wiped the slate clean.
Even though the Australian’s replacement is Borthwick, who has known Youngs longer than any player in the current squad, the Leicester star has reset the dials.
“When a new guy comes in you don’t know what is going to happen,” said the 33-year old, who played with and was coached by the Cumbrian for England before Borthwick joined him as boss at Tigers.
“That is the way it should be. I’m one of 45 players in the squad that have it all to play for again. That should never change as no-one is entitled to anything. You’re always competing.
“You’re at the mercy of someone’s decision. You can get really wrapped up in that, think ‘oh my goodness it’s going to mean this or that’, or take it for what it is.”
Youngs was dropped to the bench for Jones’ last three games in charge, replaced in the starting line-up by clubmate Jack van Poortvliet. But any suggestion his race is run is dismissed.
“I’m still loving it,” he said. “When you get older you appreciate it more. I don’t know how much longer I’ve got to do it for, so I just enjoy it, the highs and the lows.”
Leicester are experiencing the latter right now, having lost Borthwick and Kevin Sinfield and taken heavy defeats back-to-back at Sale and Newcastle. With Clermont away next it’s not about to get any easier.
“For me it’s a really important time to help the club as a lot of the young lads have only known success,” said Youngs. “That’s my immediate focus.”
Friday’s game comes three days before Borthwick names his first squad for the Six Nations. Whoever he chooses, Youngs knows he will be meticulous both in his clarity and detail.
“It will be very clear to guys how Steve wants to play as he will hone in on it so much,” he said. “I think he’ll get a great reaction from the squad, whoever he picks.”
Youngs refutes the notion that England lacked a playing identity towards the end of Jones’ tenure.
“Our gameplan was always clear,” he said. “We just weren’t able to get it out there.
“Tactically, at times, we probably weren’t where we needed to be. And certain aspects of our game weren’t at the level they needed to be to execute the gameplan.
“It was the inconsistency of performances and what we were putting out there. That’s what made it difficult.”
