Lawrence Dallaglio will be remembered as one of England's great rugby warriors.

Dallaglio not so much wore his heart on his sleeve, but all over the white shirt he graced 85 times during a 12-year Test career that spanned three World Cups and three Lions tours.

There was hardly a dull moment on or off the pitch when it came to Dallaglio and England.

He played every minute of every game when England were crowned 2003 world champions, a punishing personal and collective seven-game assault on the Webb Ellis Trophy.

And the winner's medal which hung proudly around his neck that unforgettable Saturday night in Sydney confirmed Dallaglio's place among the England legends.

It had not always been so memorable, though.

Dallaglio lost the England captaincy in 1999 following a damaging Sunday newspaper 'sting.'

It all led to a full-blown Rugby Football Union disciplinary hearing, when Dallaglio faced a disrepute charge and clocked a subsequent hefty fine.

He was soon back in the England fold though, under former head coach Sir Clive Woodward, playing a colossal role during the 2003 World Cup build-up and subsequent collection of the sport's golden global prize.

He retired from the Test arena in 2004 - the same week as Woodward quit - but the fires continued to burn, and an England comeback remained on the cards.

Yet when Dallaglio decided he wanted to work his way back, he ended up filling the role more of an impact substitute than influential first XV figure.

He had clearly lost a degree of the pace and power that were hallmarks of Dallaglio during his pomp, but he was still a key member of England's 2007 World Cup squad.

Once that campaign ended though, Dallaglio received considerable criticism for slamming England head coach Brian Ashton in his autobiography.

Dallaglio subsequently back-tracked, but one felt a degree of damage had been done, suggesting writing was on the wall in terms of his future England prospects.

Dallaglio though, like fellow World Cup heroes such as Martin Johnson, Jason Leonard and Will Greenwood, has called time on his own terms.

England-wise, it is hard to imagine a more colourful figure gracing the international scene for some considerable time.

A Lion in 1997, 2001 and 2005, his last two tours were cruelly cut short by injury, and the impact on both tour squads in Australia and New Zealand was considerable as they lost both Test series.

At 35, he will continue to strut his stuff for European champions Wasps, but there will be no more Dallaglio in England colours.

And whatever your take on his ability, personality and sheer conroversial nature at times, English rugby has to be the poorer for it.

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