England's top player, Ben Youngs, has recently undergone heart surgery following an incident where he collapsed during practice with Leicester Tigers. The 34-year-old scrum half, who holds a record of 127 caps prior to his retirement after the World Cup in 2023, was diagnosed with arrhythmia and supraventricular tachycardia—conditions causing irregular heartbeats.
Youngs underwent surgery lasting approximately two hours at a Birmingham hospital following an episode of collapse during practice this year. Reflecting on the event, he shared: "I was doing my fitness routine and suddenly had to stop because my heart started beating rapidly." He recalled being surrounded by fans while lying down after collapsing due to his irregular heartbeat.
In an interview with For The Love Of Rugby podcast co-hosted with Leicester's Dan Cole, Youngs described a history of similar experiences throughout his career, stating that such episodes could occur at any stage in life or sports career without prior knowledge. He reassured fans and supporters about his recovery process by saying: "I am on the mend, I am recovering."
Youngs expressed optimism for the upcoming season, adding there is a high success rate for such procedures—90% to be exact. As he prepares to return from surgery, Youngs hopes that his heart condition will not disrupt his performance on the field.
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