The Leicester Tigers hooker is named among the England replacements, alongside club colleague Manu Tuilagi, as England got to Rome for the final game in this season’s Championship.
A victory would put them in with a shout of a Championship crown, depending on the result of the France-Ireland match later on Saturday afternoon.
Youngs says strength in depth and competition for places are major positives in the current England squad.
“Competition is great,” said Youngs. “One guy gets the nod and the other guy is on the bench and has to wait. But it is all part of it and it is great about this squad with the depth in every position.
“On the bench you have to get straight into the game and that can sometimes be quite difficult in an international match. You have to be ready and prepared.
“It’s very important to have that competition in every position, it will only make the squad better and better.”
Youngs makes his first trip to Rome, expecting a passionate home crowd and another tough contest against the Italians.
“Italy will put up a great fight, it’s going to be a great game,” he told Talking Rugby.
“It’s always very tight against Italy, so you have to be patient. It’s about getting our detail right for the whole game.
“It’s very exciting – it’s how you want the last weekend of the Championship to go with three big games and teams fighting for the title. It’s great for the supporters and for the game to be on an edge.”
