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Carling and Telfer inducted into Hall of Fame

Will Carling 19/2/1994
Former England captain Will Carling and ex-Scotland coach Jim Telfer have been inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame.

Former England captain Will Carling and ex-Scotland coach Jim Telfer have been inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame.

Carling led England on a then world record 59 occasions, guiding them to the Grand Slam title in 1991, 1992 and 1995.

Carling was just 22 when he first took over the captaincy in 1988, leading the team through until 1996.

He won 72 caps in all for England, while he toured with the British & Irish Lions in 1993 to New Zealand.

Carling is joined by Telfer, the Scotland great who won the Five Nations title both as a player and a coach.

In the back row, Telfer won 25 caps for Scotland, winning the 1964 Championship. He then went onto the coach the side and led them to the Grand Slam in 1984 as well as a further title in 1999, the final-ever Five Nations and Scotland’s last Championship title to date.

He was also the assistant coach alongside Sir Ian McGeechan when Scotland won the Grand Slam in 1990 with their victory in the decider against England.

The pair combined for the British & Irish Lions, with Telfer McGeechan’s assistant for the series victory over South Africa in 1997, while Telfer led the side in 1983, having also toured with them twice as a player.

World Rugby Chairman and Hall of Fame inductee Sir Bill Beaumont said: “On behalf of World Rugby, I would like to congratulate our six Hall of Fame inductees, who did not just make their mark on the field of play, but who has played a significant role in advancing the sport.

“In this Olympic year, we are recognising those who have all played a significant role in cementing rugby as an Olympic sport. Their contributions should not be underestimated in terms of the global growth of rugby. We are also acknowledging the contributions of those who have left their mark on the oldest international fixture in the game.”

Fellow World Rugby Hall of Fame inductee and Chairman of the Hall of Fame panel John Eales said: “The 2021 inductees for the World Rugby Hall of Fame are representative of all that is good in our game. Each of them have been outstanding players in either sevens or 15s and they have also been important contributors to rugby, in their own countries and globally, off the field.

“As Chair of the selection panel, I am so proud that the World Rugby Hall of Fame is able to recognise such worthy inductees, who have inspired generations of rugby players and fans through their many noteworthy achievements.”