NEIL BACK has become the fourth member of England's World Cup squad to call time on his international career.
The Leicester and Lions flanker will quit Test rugby after this season's RBS Six Nations Championship, following fellow 35-year-old Jason Leonard, World Cup skipper Martin Johnson and scrum-half Kyran Bracken.
"I had a long chat with Neil," said England' coach Sir Clive Woodward. "He said he wasn't available for the summer tour (to New Zealand/Australia) and was going to retire, but that is Neil's decision.
"He's been a great servant of the game, and like all these players, you just have to applaud them and say well done. It is sad to see these guys go, but it's going to happen at some stage, and England are going through a period of change."
Back said: "I no longer feel that I can commit to the summer tour, so I will be retiring from international rugby post-Six Nations.
"The thought of spending another summer away from my family, allied to the situation at Leicester, had persuaded me."
Back, a Test Lion in Australia (2001) and South Africa (1997), made his England debut against Scotland in 1994.
Once labelled as too small for international rugby, he put in a suc-cession of all-action displays. He played in three World Cups - 1995, 1999 and 2003 - and captained England to wins over the likes of Australia, Wales and Italy.
