TIME offers up perspective and what has become known as the ‘Carling era’ looks ever more important with the passing years, for England and rugby generally.
His 54 matches as England captain yielded three Grand Slams, another Championship besides, a World Cup final and a World Cup semi-final which is a haul any England skipper from any era would kill for.
Off the field he and others - not least Brian Moore and Rob Andrew - agitated strongly for players to be rewarded for their increasingly onerous efforts which brought them into conflict with RFU secretary Dudley Wood and variou...