Will Carling

As a former England captain who led his country 59 times, Will Carling is a giant of the game who was one of the best players to ever wear an England shirt. Will Carling RugbyPass Hall of Fame

Born 12 December 1965, Will Carling joined Harlequins after his studies at Durham University. His impact was immediate and despite only joining Harlequins in 1987, he made his England debut a year later and was named England captain at the age of 22.

In his first game as England captain, he led the side to a shock win over Australia. He then went on to lead the side to back-to-back Five Nations Grand Slam victories in 1991 and 1992. He also led his side to the 1991 Rugby World Cup final. However, they were beaten 12-6 by Australia.

That said, there can be no doubt that Will Carling revolutionised English rugby. Under his stewardship, the side began to regularly compete with and beat rugby powerhouses like New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.

Although there were hiccups and he was temporarily sacked and reinstated after calling the Rugby Football Union general committee “57 old farts”, Will Carling’s career as England captain continued until the 1995 Rugby World Cup, when England beat Australia but were ultimately defeated by New Zealand in the semi-final, despite Will Carling scoring two tries and setting up another two.

In total, Will Carling appeared in 72 international tests for England, and one for the British and Irish Lions. During this period, he captained the side 59 times. Thanks to his success in the role, he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) and won the ITV Sports Personality of the Year in Britain in 1991.

Post-retirement, Will Carling became a pundit and a motivational speaker. In 2001, he also founded Will Carling Management Ltd, a corporate hospitality company. In March 2021, he founded The Pack Cycling Club with Geraint Thomas. He also still works as a leadership mentor to the England squad.