Ben Youngs withdraws from Lions Tour after devastating family tragedy

The Leicester and England scrum-half has travelled to be with his brother, Tom, and wider family.

Ben Youngs has withdrawn from the British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand after his sister-in-law's cancer diagnosis was confirmed as terminal. Tiffany Young, wife of England and Lions hooker Tom Youngs, battled back from a cancer diagnosis in 2014 but the disease has returned. Doctors have diagnosed her as terminal and the entire Youngs family are devastated with the news. In 2014, Tom Youngs recalled why he had turned down a chance to tour New Zealand with England. He told The Telegraph:

"The illness would have been a major distraction and although Tiffany wanted me to go I took it upon myself to say that it wasn’t the right thing for me to do."

Both Ben and Tom Youngs [pictured below] were part of the 2013 Lions squad that travelled to Australia and beat the Wallabies 2-1 in the Test Series. Ben Youngs was named in Warren Gatland's 41-man Lions squad, last month, but will now forfeit his place to be with Tom, Tiffany and their family. There was been a widespread outpouring of grief and support for all involved since the news was first reported by the BBC.