WRW: IN DEFENCE OF BEN YOUNGS
Perhaps we don’t appreciate it but the player in the current England set-up who most divides opinion, is from Leicester.
The number of times that I have seen Tigers fans leap to the defence of Ben Youngs, I could not possibly count. Why does he attract the hate-mongers in so great a quantity?
It’s worth asking the question, because when you take the Tigers eye-patch off, there is no doubt that England played with more pace and verve against Italy, when Harry Randall was on the field at 9. There is a perception that Youngs is slow and dull, fixated on box-kicking in comparison.
Having watched him for many years, we know that that is far from the case and if Youngs has suffered from anything, it has been for being the most complete scrum-half of his generation. Whether we like it or not, box-kicking is part of the modern game and when you throw in the rest of his game, he is generally the best of the bunch.
Perhaps the electric pace of Randall or of a Danny Care over 40 yards isn’t quite there, but he’s not far off and his ability to read a game and break is something very few have ahead of him. (Look at the video above and see how many times Youngs has caught a midfield line too far advanced.)
Like his half-back partner, George Ford knows something about being under-appreciated. Yes, we journalists have a tendency to go on about the shiny new cab on the rank and a complacent ITV punditry panel were as guilty of resting on their laurels as any England half-back pairing.
But what they have suffered from, is association with a supremely talented but abrasive England coach whose time is coming to an end. With Youngs’ talents, he can play any which way a coach wants him to and if a coach wants to leather the ball into the air, it’s the player who gets in the neck first.
I cannot recall a player who on the point of arguably his finest achievement, has been more unfairly maligned.
In the same way that Marcus Smith is not the immaculate conception, it’s not Youngs’ fault that Jones has stood by him so long, it’s the coach’s responsiblity to assess other options.
WOW
WHAT A NIGHT FOR A DERBY
It wasn’t just the win or that Harlequins’ defeat at Saracens on Sunday left Leicester 19 points clear of 5th.
It was the way Leicester remorselessly, relentlessly wore their opponents down. Which is why when push comes to shove, my man of the match would not have been Freddie Burns or Nemani Nadolo.
Julian Montoya produced a tight five forward’s display for the ages. In a week where Pumas coach Mario Ledesma left his post, his last captain produced the mightiest of send offs for his boss. He was extraordinary at the breakdown - four penalties won, plus of course the obligatory rolling maul try.
And Montoya’s try scoring record is among the best at the club, after his seventh try in all competitions brought him level with Nic Dolly
You’d think Montoya was brought up in Birstall, not Buenos Aires.
Look out, Bath.
NB These five players along with Harry Potter (5 in 13) have scored almost 50% of all Tigers’ tries this season.
MADE ME SMILE
First, Australia gave us this..
And not the worst response…
UNACCEPTABLE
ALSO UNACCEPTABLE
More to come in due course…enjoy the week
Chris
Agreed. Ben Youngs has the best all round game of any English scrum half of the last 10 years. He clearly can quickly adapt to a game plan and new no.8s and no.10s. For example, Danny Care has always been an xciting player on the front foot but does not possess the same kicking game and makes more errors when under pressure.
Personally I just ignore other fans comments, Quins fans think Cares the dogsbs Bristol fans like wise with Randall and Sales handful think Quirke.
Most of us at Tigers still rate Lenny and hopefully JVP will follow.
A lot of social media posters don't fully understand the game anyway.
Scrum half has to assess the situation and then take the right option and only has a splt second to do it. If kicking the leather off it is the right option so be it.
The game is more than just about flowing rugby.