Jeremy Guscott last night insisted he had no regrets about retiring from international rugby.
The Bath, England and Lions centre has ended a glittering Test match career, an adventure that lasted 10 years, realised 65 England caps and 30 international tries.
Guscott believes he has made the right decision, an untimely groin injury striking him down and forcing the 34-year-old to admit defeat.
"I kind of knew in my heart of hearts eight weeks ago that it could be the end of my international career," said Guscott, who will remain with England's World Cup squad even though coach Clive Woodward has called up his fellow Bath centre, uncapped Yorkshireman Mike Tindall.
"At first, a bit of blind panic set in that I might not play in the World Cup, but I was able to play some part in the tournament.
"I am fairly philosophical about things - I've had this injury before, and I've also had a back operation and managed to return to the game, so in some ways I am covering old ground and pretty much know what to expect.
"I feel like a weight has been taken off my shoulders now that I've finished playing international rugby. "I had an injection a few weeks ago which would hopefully help see me through the Tonga game, but when it wore off completely and all the pain came back, that was basically when I knew.
"When you get to this level, it is a mental thing as well as a physical thing, and when you have that negative in the back of your mind, subconsciously it plays tricks. `If you are sub-standard, then you are not very happy, and if I wasn't playing to my full potential then I would be letting everyone else down."
Guscott will undergo further checks next week to discover whether surgery is necessary on a groin complaint which, at the moment, he anticipates will keep him out for two to three months.
Meanwhile Woodward, who said Guscott had been a role model, was still counting his walking wounded yesterday in Paris as the knocks and bruises received in the play-off battle against Fiji at Twickenham began to heal.
Wings Austin Healey and Dan Luger are Woodward's main doubts for Sunday's quarter-final against South Africa, though fullback Matt Perry, out-half Jonny Wilkinson and prop Jason Leonard should be fit. Woodward is due to name his team today.
South African first-choice outhalf Henry Honiball, who has failed to play a match so far in the World Cup because of a hamstring injury, safely came through a training session yesterday and could be considered for the England game.
The 33-year-old, who has scored 145 points in 33 Tests, would most likely be named as a replacement as coach Nick Mallett thinks it wouldn't be fair to him or the team to put him straight into the firing line after such an injury.
Not surprisingly, New Zealand have named the team which beat England two weeks ago for their quarter-final clash with Scotland at Murrayfield on Sunday.
The only definite change is on the bench with Kees Meeuws replacing Greg Feek, while veteran prop Craig Dowd retains his place in the starting XV. The selectors have also bracketed Ian Jones and Royce Willis on the bench pending a final decision later in the week.
The All Blacks have no injury worries. There were concerns over Jonah Lomu earlier in the week, but he has recovered from a stomach ailment.
NEW ZEALAND (v Scotland): J Wilson; T Umaga, C Cullen, A Ieremia, J Lomu; A Mehrtens, J Marshall; C Hoeft, A Oliver, C Dowd, N Maxwell, R Brooke, R Thorne, J Kronfeld, T Randell (capt). Replacements: B Gibson, T Brown, B Kelleher, A Blowers, R Willis, I Jones, K Meeuws, M Hammett.
