WILL Carling, the most successful England captain ever, was a hugely significant figure in the English game who mostly failed to win the hearts and minds of rugby folk outwith the Sassenach heartland.

Carling, 32, who had been expected to announce his retirement from first-class rugby today only to delay his decision after appeals to stay on from fellow professionals, became the youngest England captain in the history of the game when he was appointed by Geoff Cooke at the age of 22 in 1988. He went on to captain his country 59 times before relinquishing the post in 1996.

The most significant defeats, amid a career that harvested three Grand Slams and a Triple Crown, were those against Australia in the 1991 World Cup final and the Grand Slam showdown against Scotland the previous year.

Carling retired from Test rugby last year with 72 caps to his name. He continued to play for Harlequins and run Insight, his company, which provides leadership and motivational advice in industry.

He had, too, become one of the most famous rugby players of his generation - a profile aided, or hindered, by an acquaintance with the Princess of Wales and divorce from his equally high-profile wife, Julia.

Only Rory Underwood stands ahead of Carling in the number of caps won for his country and Scotland's record cap holder Scott Hastings - who was more often than not Carling's direct opponent at Murrayfield or Twickenham - yesterday paid tribute to the man who was a pathfinder for rugby players in the UK during the transition from amateurism to professionalism.

Hastings declared: ''Will was the highest profile rugby player of my generation, certainly in the Northern Hemisphere and, maybe for a while, all over the world. He was the player who was right at the front when the game was turning professional.

''He undoubtedly had great qualities which brought England under his captaincy the most successful period they had ever experienced. But, for whatever reason, he wasn't someone who was universally liked outside England.

''I think that he was a strange mixture of shyness and arrogance. Early on, he came over in the media as an extremely arrogant person which, actually, he wasn't.''

Hastings, who was a member of the Scotland side which inflicted that 1990 Grand Slam defeat, said: ''He would still consider that defeat to have been a blot on his copybook. His captaincy wasn't good that day. He made a number of wrong decisions. He fell for a few sucker punches that afternoon.

''Similarly, in the 1991 World Cup final, he and England got themselves involved in a slagging match with David Campese and, again, got their tactics wrong. He was, though, a good player.

''He had a couple of seasons when he didn't really merit his place in the England side but got in because he was captain, but, over the piece, he has been a quality centre for England.''

Carling has come under pressure from many sources to stay in rugby, despite Harlequins coach Andy Keast having said that the former England captain had already retired. The player refuses to budge from his statement yesterday that retirement from rugby remains only one of many options and is prolonging his 48-hour deadline for a verdict on his future.

He told friends that the only man who mentioned definite retirement was Keast after their discussion at the start of the week. It became clear that top players have made appeals for him to reconsider, including Thierry Lacroix, the French kicking star.

Club officials are also concerned that arguably the highest-profile superstar ever in the English game could be lost to them because of a dispute over working practices. Carling cuts corners on his own admission because of the business he runs, and this season began to be troubled one after at one stage being left out of the first team.

1965 - Born Bradford-on-Avon in Wiltshire on December 12, son of an Army brigadier.

1984 - Leaves Sedbergh School and goes to Durham University. Captains England at 18-group level.

1987 - Plays for England B in 22-9 win over France B.

1988 - Graduates from Durham University, where he had been on Army scholarship, with degree in psychology. Buys his way out of Army for #8,000 as second lieutenant when told he had to spend six months without rugby at Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst. Accepts executive post with Mobil Oil. Wins first full England cap in 10-9 defeat by France in January. In November becomes youngest English captain in 57 years after just seven Tests when leading England to 28-19 win over Australia at Twickenham at 22, manager Geoff Cooke putting him in charge until 1991 World Cup.

1989 - Forced to miss British Lions tour to Australia with broken leg.

1990 - Leaves Mobil and forms Inspirational Horizons (name later changed to Insight), a company giving leadership and motivational advice.

Captains England to 13-7 defeat in Grand Slam decider at Murrayfield and is heavily criticised for tactics.

1991 - Leads England to first Grand Slam for 11 years and to World Cup final, but lose 12-6 against Australia at Twickenham.

1992 - Awarded OBE in New Year Honours. Captains England to second successive Grand Slam.

1993 - Makes Lions debut in first Test against New Zealand but is dropped for second Test.

1994 - Reappointed England captain by new manager Jack Rowell. Breaks world record for Test captaincy against Scotland at Murrayfield, passing the record of 36 established by Australian scrum-half Nick Farr-Jones. Marries PR girl Julia Smith.

1995 - Captains England to Grand Slam, the third under his command. Called RFU committee ''57 old farts'' on TV and is sacked as captain. Reinstated two days later after apologising to every member of committee. Comes under pressure to quit after England finish a disappointing fourth in World Cup in South Africa. Personal life comes under spotlight after revelations over friendship with Princess of Wales and separates from wife.

1996 - Reappointed captain and leads England to Triple Crown. Announces decision to quit as captain having led them to 46 wins in a world record 59 matches as skipper.

1997 - Wins seventy-second and last cap for England during Five Nations campaign. In April announces decision to retire from international arena.

1998 - Linked with a move to Wasps amid reports of a rift with Harlequins coach Andy Keast, who had dropped Carling from the first team in recent weeks. Meeting with Keast resulted in the Harlequins coach announcing that Carling had told him of his decision to retire.