It is a remarkable story, from centre in the backline to the centre of the front row with Leicester and England, and who knows, a contender for a Lions place.
Remember, too, he wasn’t even a centre with an assured first-team place. Power-packed, committed and willing, but in a selection pool with the likes of Aaron Mauger, Leon Lloyd, Dan Hipkiss, Ollie Smith and Matt Smith, his appearances were few and far between.
Then, after cutting his teeth in Championship rugby and getting the edges knocked off in training at Oval Park, Youngs committed himself fully to life in the dark confines of the front row.
It takes a special mentality to want to make that change but, whatever it is, Tom has it in bucketloads. The power-packed centre became a bigger, heavier hooker but with a huge appetite for work and in a great environment in which a willing learner could be educated, with the input of guys like Chutes, Marcos, Castro, Coley and the rest.
Tom suddenly found himself in the right place at the right time. And, don’t forget, in the right form, when other hookers were counted out of England’s tour to South Africa last summer. He is the kind of player who sees every opportunity as a challenge, but also seems equally thankful for the chance – no sulking about playing in a midweek team on tour, he rolled up his sleeves and got stuck in.
He made such an impression that he kept his place in the squad for the autumn, started the Six Nations as first choice and now has an international career approaching a double-figure number of Tests. All in his first season as a Tigers regular.
After coming through his first Six Nations, he ran bang straight into Exeter, a bunch of tough nuts up front, and then went face to face with England colleague Dylan Hartley in the context of an East Midlands derby. Now it’s on to a European quarter-final.
Tom just seems to take all of it in his scampering stride.
His enthusiasm for the game, his every interaction with supporters, big or small, oozes a contentment with where he is in the world. Tigers fans have worshipped legions of top-class hookers over the years and Youngs could become a club legend in the years to come.
