“If I was in charge of England, I’d try to buy Jack Willis out of his contract, bring him back to England and make him captain”: Former England captain Will Carling on the Willis brothers, Henry Pollock and making headlines on and off the pitch

Will Carling, former England captain, still holds strong opinions about the current state of rugby. Thirty years after his tenure as England captain, Carling points to several areas requiring improvement. He believes English rugby has yet to reach its full potential and highlights the lack of a strong relationship between the RFU and clubs, as well as a failure to adequately compensate top players.

Carling criticizes the selection of Jack Willis, a Toulouse captain, for not being chosen to represent England, even though he excels in France and has been made captain there. He asserts that if he were in charge of England, he would buy Willis out of his contract, bring him back to England, and appoint him as captain. Carling also addresses the need for innovation in attracting younger audiences, expressing concern about rugby's aging demographic.

He lauds Henry Pollock, a young Northampton Saints player, for his talent and character, but acknowledges that the hype surrounding him has been significant. Carling emphasizes that the success of the sport depends on the players and that he has always been focused on their well-being.