Ben Youngs' story has plenty more years to run

There have been some rum old sights and sounds during this Covid-infested rugby year but none stranger than the England team holding back to allow first Ben Youngs and then Jamie George to run out on their own at the start of the game in Rome last night to take the applause of the crowd at the Olympic Stadium.

- BRENDAN GALLAGHER

Except of course there was no crowd to acknowledge the Tigers scrum-half ’s 100th cap and the Saracens hooker’s 50th cap. For a few seconds they looked around in slight bemusement and embarrassment and then, in a very underrated English way, congratulated each other and smiled. Well what on earth do you do on these occasions?

While not wanting to diminish George’s splendid half century, Youngs raising his bat for his ton was the main event of the evening and with perfect timing he nipped in for a trademark try after just four minutes, running a clever tracking line to get onto Owen Farrell’s shoulder after the England captain had made a break in midfield.

It was in truth the highlight of a turgid first half for England who adopted a pretty mindless kicking game but Youngs was up for this match and it was his sharply-taken second try early in the first half that finally settled England down and back on course for the bonus point victory they needed.

He rightly earned the MOM award which he celebrated with another smile to the cameras as he sat, socially distanced from his colleague and all alone, in the posh seats at the Olympic Stadium.

Ultimately it proved enough to claim a third title under Eddie Jones.

Youngs has never been the easiest player to pigeon hole. More often than not he is razor sharp, jet heeled, snapping at his pack, into everything and very quick and alert on the break. Everything in fact you would ever want from your scrum-half.