The men who sacked Carling

Dennis Easby

RFU President

Seventy-year-old solicitor from Reading, and a former RAF pilot. Long- time representative for Berkshire on the Rugby Union committee.

Easby (right) has been one of the more liberal voices in the RFU on the subject of commercialisation. At the start of the season, he said: "A code of conduct and a code of commerce to be followed by every international squad in the world would be a start.'' Easby looked set to clash with Carling in November. Carling considered legal action against the RFU when they blocked the publishing of an advertisement in the England v Romania match programme in which he was endorsing health insurance. Easby said: "Let me make it quite clear that, however unusual it might be for an England captain to consider legal action, it would have absolutely no bearing on his position."

Ian Beer

Last year's RFU President

Sixty-four-year-old former headmaster of Harrow School, and chairman designate of the Sports Council. Twice capped for England, against France and Scotland in 1955; he played club rugby for Bath and Harlequins.

As RFU president, he waged a campaign, after incidents on the All Blacks' tour of Britain, against violence on the pitch. "We all know what is acceptable. Let us have the courage to stand up and preserve our game. It was always assumed that someone who played rugby knew where to draw the line."

Bill Bishop

RFU vice-president

A retired government officer. In line to be the next RFU president. In Friday's Independent, Bishop wrote: "My reaction to this [Carling's comment]...is disbelief and disappointment. I can only assume the programme was made some time ago as it certainly does not reflect the current situation...There is a deep feeling of goodwill in this country for rugby, built up by many people over a long period with time given freely. We ignore that at our peril. Old age has a habit of catching up with everyone. Let's have a little respect, boys."

Peter Bromage and John Motum

RFU treasurers

Bromage is a Birmingham solicitor; Motum is a farmer from Chelmsford. They completed the five-man committee who sat in judgement on the England captain on Friday night.