England scrum-half Ben Youngs bowed out after a men’s record 127 Test caps on the winning team as they beat Argentina 26-23 in the Rugby World Cup bronze final; fellow retiring international Courtney Lawes believes improving cohesion will be key for England going forward
Last Updated: 27/10/23 11:42pm
Ben Youngs applauds England’s fans after playing his final Test match in the World Cup bronze final
Ben Youngs could barely hide his delight at signing his international career off on a high as England held on for victory over Argentina in the 2023 Rugby World Cup bronze final.
The scrum-half made his 127th and final appearance in the match in Paris where he was named at the starting No 9, and bowed out as the most-capped men’s player in England history when he was replaced by Danny Care in the 52nd minute.
Youngs then had to watch as his team-mates defied a late push from Los Pumas before securing a 26-23 win and a third-place finish at this year’s global gathering, going some way to making up for the disappointment of last Saturday’s semi-final defeat to South Africa.
“I’m just delighted the boys got the result – and that was hard fought,” Youngs told ITV. “There wasn’t too much run in the legs for a lot of those guys trying to back up a huge effort last week.
“We stuttered and we didn’t quite get to our rhythm, but we found a way. We’re pleased to end with a win and ultimately, we wanted to be here tomorrow night [Saturday], but we couldn’t, and tonight is a nice win.
“The game has given me so much, I’ve got huge friendships and bonds – not just in this England team, but guys I’ve played against for years. Rugby is a special sport where you have this bond and this friendship.
“I’ve got a bucket-load of memories which will last beyond my career, rugby has given me a huge amount and I’m very, very grateful. I’m pleased we got the win, and I’ll have a beer and enjoy myself with the company of the boys one last time tonight.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
James Cole outlines how England beat Argentina 26-23 in the bronze final at the Rugby World Cup and what lies ahead for Steve Borthwick’s men
Another member of the squad who had already confirmed his intention to bring down the curtain on his international career is Courtney Lawes, although the back row was unable to add to his 103 England caps after being left out of the matchday 23 for the bronze final.
Nevertheless, the 34-year-old was cheering his team-mates on from the sidelines and is excited to see where the next generation of players and head coach Steve Borthwick take England as they start to turn attention towards the next World Cup in Australia in 2027.
“It’s a bit strange and it’s been a weird week, but I’m very content with my years of service and I’m very much looking forward to seeing where the team goes, pushing on for the future and hopefully giving it a really good crack at the next World Cup,” Lawes told ITV.
“Our cohesion is the biggest thing for us [to improve]. We’ve not spent a lot of time as a full coaching staff and full squad. We’ve had five months to get where we have done and we’ve got a bit more time now to build, but we’ve got to take a step forward every time we get on that field.
Courtney Lawes had previously announced his intention to retire from international rugby
“It’s a bit of a changing of the guard and an end of an era for a lot of us. They’re unbelievable servants to the sport and England, and it was honestly my privilege play with a lot of these players.”
One of those who is already staking a claim to be part of Borthwick’s plans is hooker Theo Dan, who recovered from letting Argentina’s Santiago Carreras slip a tackle on his way to scoring a try two minutes into the second half to charging down a kick from the fly-half and scoring himself one minute later.
The 22-year-old believes the hard-fought nature of the win over Argentina at Stade de France showcased traits which England want to show more of in the new era for the national team.
“Our ill-discipline let them back into the game, but we’re a team that grinds out the result, and I’m proud to be part of this team and pleased to get the bronze,” Dan told ITV.
“We’re incredibly disappointed and heartbroken about what happened last weekend. The performance we put out was one we can be proud of, and we said we didn’t want that to be a one-off.
“We want to build; we want to be a new England team – one which doesn’t go away and grinds out results. Today was a step forward to achieving that.”