Youngs 'captivated' by Cheika's winning mentality

Decorated Leicester Tigers scrum-half Ben Youngs says he has been reinvigorated by the winning mentality of new head coach Michael Cheika.

The 35-year-old five-time Premiership title winner is in his 19th season of senior rugby with his childhood club.

Youngs, who retired from international rugby last season as England's most capped men's player, has so far been used off the bench by former Australia and Argentina head coach Cheika, who took over in the summer following the departure of Dan McKellar after just one season at the Tigers helm.

"He captivated me straight away and I think that was really important," Youngs told BBC East Midlands Today.

"You want someone walking through the door that says: 'Boys I know how to win, you know what it takes to win and this is how we are going to do it - who wants to come with me?'

"For me, well I haven't got that long [left in the game] and I’ll get behind that, I want a piece of that and want to be a part of that.

"Had someone come in maybe and gone: 'This is a four-year project...' because we have great youth - have a look at how many guys were named in the England squad, that suggests Leicester are going to be knocking on the door for the best part of 10 years - but I haven't got 10 years.

"It complements where I'm at in my career right now to have someone like him, with his calibre and his presence."

Youngs' role under Cheika so far has been to close out games for Tigers, having come off the bench in every match to replace 23-year-old Jack van Poortvliet.

Like Youngs before him, Van Poortvliet is a homegrown Tiger who has gone on to play for England.

Asked if he is happy with his role at Leicester now, Youngs was quick to say: "Yes, I am.

"There is always that element where you know it [not starting regularly] will come at some stage - you are just not sure when.

"When I broke through, there were a couple of nines here that had a huge amount of experience and who kind of had to let me go and do my own thing. And it will be the same for JVP when he is older at the stage when the next one comes through."

Youngs, who has continued his career uninterrupted despite undergoing heart surgery, went further to say the responsibility placed on him at the end of matches is "something that excites" him.

"You can look at it two ways," Youngs said.

"One being 'oh I’ll come on at the end and see what happens' or the way I look at it, which is that the game can be level, or we could be losing or we could be ahead - I have three scenarios that I can be dealing with. I actually love that.

"I enjoy that responsibility playing in all these different scenarios. I flip it on its head and think there is no one better to do that because of all my experience."

So far, he has helped deliver three wins in four games under Cheika.

That included a memorable first home victory for the Australian on Saturday as Leicester overcame title holders Northampton in the East Midlands derby.

"With 'Check', he has an unbelievable way of motivating you internally and externally and driving this narrative of what we want to be and where we want to go," Youngs said.

"We are still early on and not as good as we want to be just yet, but we are getting results."

Youngs has previously spoken about being one of the senior players to talk to club management about McKellar's role at the end of a 'frustrating" campaign last season.

The playmaker reiterated his stance on what success at Leicester needs to look like.

"I'm not going to judge this season by whether I’m holding silverware at the end of it," Youngs said.

"But what I will judge, and what I will actually accept is fulfilling this team's potential. And when we don't, i.e last year, it's very difficult to accept that, when looking at the talent within the room, and looking at the young group.

"If we don't fulfil the talent within the room and reach the capabilities of this squad, then that for me is a failure."