BEN Youngs must be the Lions' number one scrumhalf in South Africa and is still the man to wear the England No.9 shirt at the next World Cup.
The unequivocal backing for the 105-cap Leicester Tigers man comes from World Cup winner and former Wasps, Gloucester and Harlequins scrum-half Andy Gomarsall.
Youngs, right, played on the 2013 Lions tour to Australia but pulled out of the trip to New Zealand four years later to support his brother Tom after his wife Tiffany was diagnosed with cancer.
Should the 2021 trip to the Rainbow Nation go ahead as planned, the 31-year-old would likely rival Conor Murray, Rhys Webb, Gareth Davies and Tomos Williams for a starting spot.
Gomarsall, who claimed global glory with England in 2003 and started in his team's final defeat four years later, insists Lions head coach Warren Gatland should put his faith in Youngs.
“Ben Youngs 100 per cent has to go on the next Lions tour and he should be the starting scrum-half,” said Gomarsall. “He's hugely experienced and is a great leader while I know he's hugely respected by the coaches and opposing scrum-halves around the world.
“For me he is one of the best scrum-halves in the world and he's got the allround game to really threaten South Africa.
“Whatever ageing tablets he's using, they're working! As a No.9 you use so much energy in your communication, in your running, in your mental brain capacity and your decision making.
“It might have helped him that Leicester haven't been at the top because if he was playing in finals, he probably wouldn't have the energy and the fitness because he'd be exhausted from the club games.”
Youngs will be 34 by the time the 2023 World Cup in France comes around and some have questioned whether England head coach Eddie Jones should be looking at the next generation.
Gomarsall insists there is no English scrum-half close to matching the Leicester man, who will want to make amends for last year's World Cup final defeat by South Africa.
“I don't t hink there is any deliberation around the fact Ben is the greatest England nine of all time,” said Gomarsall. “He's dominated the jersey for a long time and he can definitely make the next World Cup.
“In 2007 I was lucky enough to play in the final and I would have loved to have been of an age to have another go. When you get that close, you want that experience again and he'll be thinking what he could do the next time he gets to a World Cup final that was different.
“There will be ghosts there for him to lay down.”
Dan Robson and Alex Mitchell are the other scrum-halves in England's autumn squad while Ben Spencer continues to miss out despite some impressive form for Bath.
“Ben Spencer's problem is with the Saracens situation he's had to move clubs,” said Gomarsall. “I did it quite a few times in my career and it doesn't give you consistency of performance even though he has played well for Bath.
“It's unsettling in so many ways. I guess in Eddie's mind it's about that level of consistency. Where is he going next? What is happening? It's unsettling for him as a player.
“That's his challenge, but he's got everything. There is a lot of talent at nine with Robson and Mitchell, but they've all got to bring something which Youngs doesn't.”
