SIX CANDIDATES FOR THE ENGLAND SUCCESSION
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Your support makes all the difference.BEN CLARKE
Bath
Age 27; Caps 27
After becoming England's pack leader and therefore auxiliary captain this season, Clarke has seen his star steadily waning as the need for Richards became increasingly apparent and would now be no more than outside bet, certainly while Richards remains.
LAWRENCE DALLAGLIO
Wasps
Age 23; Caps 5
Dallaglio's enforced elevation to his club captaincy in some ways paralleled Carling's with England and, having impressed with his Wasps responsibility as well as enjoying Rowell's favour, he could equally well be entrusted as his predecessor was.
PHIL DE GLANVILLE
Bath
Age 27; Caps 15
If De Glanville were an England regular, Bath's captain would be a certainty to succeed. But as Carling remains a player, he still stands in his deputy's way alongside Guscott and the perpetual reserve probably needs him to lose form as well as the captaincy.
JASON LEONARD
Harlequins
Age 26; Caps 48
Leonard has earned respect in his first season as captain of Harlequins and if Rowell fancied a bluff, no-nonsense type this might be his man. Playing for Quins and living in Twickenham would be no bar - but a broad east London accent might be.
DEAN RICHARDS
Leicester
Age 32; Caps 47
Richards, de facto captain at Murrayfield, would be the short-term answer if England had any short-term Test matches. But there aren't any until November and anyway the priority has to be the long term - i.e. World Cup '99 - which will not include him.
TIM RODBER
Northampton
Age 26; Caps 24
Until his dismissal in South Africa in 1994, Rodber was as good as certain as England's future captain - and may still be if he lives up to Rowell's hope that he will assume Richards' mantle. Being dropped twice in one season, though, does not recommend him.
ENGLAND'S RECORD
UNDER CARLING
Against P W D L
France 10 8 0 2
Scotland 9 7 1 1
Wales 8 6 0 2
Ireland 7 5 0 2
Argentina 4 3 0 1
Australia 4 2 0 2
S Africa 4 2 0 2
N Zealand 3 1 0 2
Canada 2 2 0 0
Fiji 2 2 0 0
W Samoa 2 2 0 0
Italy 1 1 0 0
Romania 1 1 0 0
US 1 1 0 0
Total 58 43 1 14
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