England were kicked out of the competition now known as the Six Nations after a bitter £87.5million dispute.
The shock decision saw England's rivals turn against the Rugby Football Union (RFU).
There were even plans to hold the tournament without England. And incredibly, it happened twice.
The first expulsion came 30 years ago, in July 1996. At the time, the competition was still called the Five Nations.
Wales, Scotland, Ireland and France were ready to go it alone. England's future in the tournament was suddenly in doubt.
Why were England kicked out?
The trouble began when the RFU signed a five-year television deal with Sky Sports worth £87.5million.
England had negotiated the deal on their own.
This angered the other unions, who felt the television money should be shared.
The row quickly grew.
On 13 July 1996, England were officially expelled. The other four nations began making plans for their own championship. There were also fears that fans would lose the chance to watch major rugby matches on free-to-air television.
That debate continues today, with the BBC losing the rights to show England's Six Nations matches under the latest TV deal.At the time, Welsh Rugby Union chairman Vernon Pugh argued that all five countries helped make the tournament a success.
He believed they should all receive a fair share of the money. Pressure grew on the RFU to find a solution. Finally, a deal was reached in September 1996.
England were welcomed back before the 1997 championship.
England were kicked out AGAIN
Remarkably, the story did not end there.
In January 1999, England were expelled for a second time following another disagreement over television revenue.
The RFU had refused to approve a 10-year agreement governing the competition's financial arrangements.
This time, Italy were being considered as a replacement.
With the championship just weeks away, England faced the extraordinary prospect of missing the tournament entirely.
However, the crisis lasted less than 24 hours.
England were reinstated after accepting the agreement, allowing the 1999 championship to proceed as planned.
What happened next?
England never actually missed a Five Nations match because of either expulsion.
The competition survived both disputes and expanded in 2000 when Italy joined, creating the modern Six Nations.
Since then, England have enjoyed some of the most successful periods in the championship's history, including four consecutive Triple Crowns between 1995 and 1998.
Three decades after the original controversy, it remains one of the most remarkable episodes in European rugby history.
