Wynne Gray's 50 greatest rugby moments: No.41

England captain Will Carling hangs his head as he walks off the pitch after losing the '95 semifinal. Photo / David Rogers/ALLSPORT

Experienced England captain Will Carling was sacked 11 days before his squad's departure for the 1995 RWC, for describing his rugby bosses as "57 old farts."

Carling used the term in a throwaway line at the end of a television interview and those bosses reacted two days later by sacking him while Carling's irate supporters claimed that confirmed his opinion.

"For an England captain to say that is totally unjustified," RFU president Dennis Easby said.

"It has brought the game into disrepute.

"This was a totally unsolicited comment, an insult to people who have done an awful lot of voluntary work."

The News of the World ran a backpage headline of 'this old fart must go' over a picture of Easby while former players turned writers, Paul Ackford and Stuart Barnes condemned the decision.

Carling's outburst was the latest in a series of scraps with officials about the need for greater professionalism and players' demands for more money.

He was England's youngest captain at 22 and had led England for seven years in 48 tests including 37 victories and three Grand Slams and his axing provoked widespread disapproval. The squad discussed whether they should boycott the World Cup while bookmakers lengthened England's odds of winning the tournament.

Further condemnation came the way of the RFU.

Three of Carling's senior teammates Rob Andrew, Dean Richards and Brian Moore, refused requests to take over the England captaincy and the pressure increased when the entire World Cup squad, signed a statement asking for Carling's dismissal to be reversed.

That feisty standoff continued as the World Cup departure date became less than a week.
The RFU was stymied. They had no alternative and Carling was reinstated.

He made a public apology for his indiscretion however no one believed he or any of his teammates were at all remorseful about the incident.

Two days after being sacked, Carling was reinstated and when he trained with the England squad at Marlow in Buckinghamshire, he was given a hero's approval by the lively spectators.