Ben Youngs' code one alert for rivals

Half a dozen of their key lieutenants sat down with coach Stuart Lancaster and drew up a code of conduct aimed at ensuring the corrosive behaviour at the World Cup never pervades the squad again.

Although there is no section dealing specifically with dwarf-related entertainment, it will cover everything from drinking on England duty to contact with agents during Test weeks.

These are the bricks on which the new England will be built and the agreement was signed off last night by the rest of the Six Nations training party in Leeds.

For Leicester scrum-half Ben Youngs, the cementing of rugbyfirst values is as vital to the restoration of England’s fortunes on the pitch as any genius game plan for Murrayfield in 10 days’ time.

“The biggest thing for us is making sure the culture is right and that everyone is on the same page,” said Youngs.

“That means how we want to play, what we want to do and making sure that rugby is our focus. Nothing else.

“We were all disappointed at what happened at the World Cup. No one can be happy with getting beaten in the quarter-final and what came out in the media was a shame, but at the same time it at least meant it was going to get it addressed. I can’t wait to get out there, get cracking and try to get back on the horse with England.

“I just want to roll my sleeves up, work hard, set an example and prove to Stu and everyone there how much I want to play for England. It’s a dream to play for England – if you’re not proud to wear that shirt, you are in the wrong place.”

This week’s camp is intended to underline the point that playing for England is about the privilege of representing your country, rather than the privileges which can be enjoyed by those chosen to do so.

Even if their four-star Weetwood Hall base is hardly a back-to-back with outside privy, hammering it home in unfussy domestic surroundings, rather than Portugal, is no accident.

“It’s a great idea. I don’t know why we haven’t kept it in England before,” said Youngs.

“We will work hard and hopefully we will hit the ground running at Murrayfield because we will need to.

“We are a young side, but I have no doubt we will be very competitive in the Six Nations. I don’t think many teams will want to play against us, because it will be a case of the unknown for them in terms of what we are going to bring to the party.

“Are we capable of winning a grand slam? Of course we are. Are we capable of winning the Six Nations? Of course we are. I’m certainly very excited and I’m sure all the other guys are as well.”

The injuries to key figures such as Toby Flood, Tom Wood and Manu Tuilagi should taper the optimism, but one plus point for England is that at least they will have Youngs operating on two legs.

He was rushed back ahead of schedule after a knee injury to play in the World Cup and it showed.

Post-tournament convalescence at his club has restored him to full power and, like the rest of the England squad, he will be mothballed for this weekend’s round of LV= Cup matches.

At 22, it hardly seems four years ago that Youngs was following in his father Nick’s footsteps and making his first start for Leicester in the LV= Cup at Bath, but his career has been on fast forward ever since. He already has 17 England caps.

Much is changing within the England squad and in a new-look group with a phalanx of uncapped players, so is Youngs’ status. He is one the rest will look to for their lead in what is a pivotal week in the side’s embryonic development.

“I’m still a young guy with a lot to learn,” he said. “But if I can offer bits of advice to any of the new guys to help them, then great.”