England fly half great Jonny Wilkinson, the second-highest points scorer in history, has retired from international rugby union.
"I would like to take this opportunity to announce my retirement from international rugby," Wilkinson said in a statement.
"To do so fills me with great sadness, but I know I have been blessed in so many ways to have experienced what I have with the England rugby team," Wilkinson added.
The former Newcastle playmaker said he would continue playing for Toulon, the French club he joined in 2009.
"For me now, I will continue to focus ever harder on my goal of being the very best I can be with Toulon Rugby Club and continue to embrace and enjoy wherever that path takes me."
Wilkinson assured himself of a place in rugby union history with his extra-time drop goal that saw England win the 2003 World Cup final against hosts Australia in Sydney.
But afterwards his Test career was blighted by a succession of injuries and at the recent World Cup in New Zealand even his normally reliable goal-kicking let him down as England, beset by off-field problems, crashed out in the quarter-finals to France.
Widely regarded as the best defensive fly half Test rugby has seen, Wilkinson's international retirement means England will start the defence of its Six Nations title away to Scotland in February without him in its squad.
The 32-year-old Wilkinson bowed out from Tests as England's record points scorer with 1,179 points from 91 Test matches, a haul comprising six tries, 162 conversions, 239 penalties and a record 36 drop goals.
He also scored 67 points in six Tests for the British and Irish Lions on tours of Australia (2001) and New Zealand (2005) for an overall tally of 1,246 - second only behind All Black Dan Carter.
But in the view of some pundits, Wilkinson became symptomatic of all that was wrong with a misfiring and conservative England attack in that during his numerous injury absences none of his possible successors were able to make the number 10 shirt truly their own.
Wilkinson's statement added: "To say I have played through four World Cups, two Lions tours, 91 international games and a ridiculous number of injuries and other setbacks gives me an incredibly special feeling of fulfilment.
"But by now I know myself well enough to know that I will never truly be satisfied!" he added.
"It goes without saying that I would like to wish Stuart Lancaster, his coaches and the England squad every bit of success available to them," added Wilkinson, who also saluted the much criticised England backroom staff at this year's World Cup, of whom only scrum supremo Graham Rowntree will be working with interim boss Lancaster.
"I would also very much like to extend those wishes to Martin Johnson, Brian Smith, Mike Ford, John Wells, Graham Rowntree and the rest of the England 2011 World Cup management team who have been fantastic and deserve people to know that."
Fellow World Cup winner Lewis Moody, England's captain in New Zealand before announcing his Test retirement in October, told Sky Sports he'd been "humbled" to have played alongside Wilkinson.
"I'm saddened but his contribution over the years, his work ethic, professionalism and commitment, has been immense," the Bath flanker said.
"The fact he missed four years of international rugby but still amassed 97 caps is unimaginable," Moody said.
"It's a real shame he's decided to retire but what he's given to the sport, and a generation, is immense."
AFP
Tags: rugby-union, sport, england, united-kingdom First posted December 13, 2011 07:03:23