Relationships: Will Carling

Why relationships are the key to success in sport and life, with former England captain Will Carling. Will was appointed captain aged just 22 and led England to their first ever rugby World Cup final in 1991. He was their first genuinely successful captain over a sustained period of time. As well as reaching that World Cup final- England won three Grand Slams in the 90s under Will, and were undoubtedly the northern hemisphere’s best team during that period. Will is now back helping the England set-up – having been appointed by Eddie Jones to help mentor some of the current team. The theme of this week’s conversation is relationships, in life and sport, which Will says are more important than on-field success. Will talks about why leadership is all about having the best interests of your team at heart- and why leaders who try and fake it will quickly be found out. He explains the importance of continuous honest conversations- and why hitting rock bottom, as he did after retiring from his playing career, can be a blessing in disguise. They talk about inferiority complexes, and why some sportspeople find it hard to leave their careers behind- and how your values change over the course of your life, and why it's important to recognise that the most important thing is the quality of the relationships with the important people in your life.