AFP/London

Tom Youngs has revealed his “relief” at still being a contender for 2015 hosts England’s World Cup squad after missing the recent tour of New Zealand.

Leicester hooker Youngs was given special dispensation to stay at home looking after his ill wife Tiffany instead of touring New Zealand.

However, England coach Stuart Lancaster told Youngs that his Test chances remained unaffected. 

“He understood the situation I was in, he realised it was best for me to go back and be with my family,” Youngs said Tuesday. 

“So I was extremely appreciative of that.

“To be fair if I had gone on tour, I think he would have known and I would have known that he wouldn’t have got the best out of me because I would have been worried about things at home,” he added.

“So for him to say ‘we’re not going to judge you on this, it’s important you stay at home and that’s the best thing to do’, that was fantastic and a relief.”

Youngs played in Leicester’s 24-20 Premiership victory at Exeter last weekend.

Lancaster has been given extra time by the country’s 12 Premiership clubs to delay naming his Elite Player Squad until October ahead of the November international programme.

With England’s players ‘on trial’ for World Cup places, Youngs, capped 17 times by his country, is keen to cement his place. “It was great of Stuart and that does kind of sum him up: he’s a good man, an honest kind of guy who understands families and how they work.

“He manages those situations really well, and he managed my situation incredibly well. So it was a big help.

“All those things that Stuart does, they help get the best out of the squad.

“Obviously you don’t want to jeopardise your England chances, but then if you end up going on tour you probably end up not being able to concentrate fully on the rugby and not playing very well anyway.

“So then I was able to pick up at the start of the season with the summer camp at the end of August. “Now I know I’m back in, back playing well for Leicester and that’s great.”

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