Youngs made his England debut in March 2010 and played at four World Cups, in 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2023, retiring from international rugby after the 2023 tournament in France, where he helped England finish third.

He was part of the successful British and Irish Lions tour of Australia in 2013, featuring in the first two Tests, but withdrew from the 2017 squad to tour New Zealand for family reasons.

Youngs played for Leicester and England alongside his brother Tom, who retired in 2022, while their father Nick played for the club between 1981 and 1988.

In 2021, the family became the first to reach 600 Tigers appearances, a total that now stands at 692.