It's been a wonderful roller-coaster ride with the World Cup the perfect climax Kyran Bracken Feature: England's unsung hero

The Saracens scrum-half won 51 caps, his last coming as a replacement in the World Cup semi-final win over France.

"I have done everything I wanted to do but the ambition to play for England is no longer there," the 32-year-old said.

Bracken, who will review his club commitments at the end of the season, is the second World Cup winner to quit following captain Martin Johnson.

"Like Martin, I've become battle weary and the time is right to walk away," Bracken said.

"I wanted to retire straight after the World Cup but I couldn't bring myself to make a final decision.

"Sir Clive Woodward persuaded me not to, but I've had time to reflect since then.

"You need to give 100% if you are going to be successful in this game.

"I had decided that the World Cup would be my last throw and I went into the tournament to give it everything.

My debut was simply unforgettable - it just did not seem possible for things to get any better Kyran Bracken

"Having done that, having been involved at international level since 1993, I decided the time had come to stand down."

Woodward paid tribute to Bracken, picking out one particular tackle in the World Cup game against South Africa as possibly his biggest contribution to the England cause.

"He was one of those players that was a hero in the World Cup when he played against South Africa and especially at the scrum when Will Greenwood did the famous forward pass," he said.

"From that scrum, he hit Joost Van der Westhuizen at the base and that almost won us the game and arguably could have won us the World Cup."

Bracken has had an injury-plagued career but insists he has been blessed with good luck.

His international career began with a hard-fought win over New Zealand when he played on despite having his foot stamped on by Jamie Joseph in the opening skirmishes.

He spent the next two weeks on crutches to protect damaged ligaments.

Bracken came back from a career-threatening injury in 1999 and once again showed his strength of character in the face of injury in one of his final England outings.

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His involvement at the 2003 World Cup had been in doubt due to injury, but he came through to not only claim a spot in the squad but also a starting place against South Africa.

He put in a match-winning performance despite having to wear a corset to protect his back.

"I'm still amazed and very relieved that I got through that match," he added.

"It's still hard to believe I made the World Cup because six months before it started I was nowhere.

"I've had so much good luck and a wonderful career."

Bracken has two years to run on his Saracens contract but will reassess his options in May.