France flanker Serge Betsen admitted a nagging back injury was the key factor behind his decision to retire from international rugby.
Betsen announced at a specially convened media conference in Clichy-la-Garenne - the town of his formative club - that he was calling time on a France career that has spanned a decade.
The 33-year-old, who will quit the sport for good at the end of the season, had planned to carry on playing Test rugby after last year's unsuccessful World Cup campaign, which finished for Betsen following a semi-final defeat to England.
But he revealed an ongoing back complaint had made him think again.
"The fact that I was made captain on two occasions over the last few months made me feel young again," said the Biarritz flanker, who won 63 caps for Les Bleus.
"I had announced that it was one of the last objectives of my career but I hadn't wanted to finish with the frustration of being in the stands at the Parc des Princes for the last match (against Argentina in the bronze-medal play-off).
"All that made me want to continue fighting for my place. But I suffered an injury just after the World Cup that is causing me problems.
"Even if I could play again for my club, I am not at 100% to fight for my place in the national team.
"I am no longer able to rise to all these challenges."
Betsen, who made his debut for France in a Test against Italy in 1997, is the fourth experienced France star to quit international rugby in the past two months, following Fabien Pelous, Christophe Dominici and Raphael Ibanez.
Prop Pieter De Villiers could be the fifth before the start of the RBS 6 Nations Championship, which begins next month.
Betsen feels the national team, now under the helm of Marc Lievremont, is still in safe hands, however.
"There will still be players such as (Yannick) Jauzion, (Julien) Bonnaire, (Thierry) Dusautoir, (Jean-Baptiste) Elissalde and (Dimitri) Yachvili," he added.
"There are a lot of names and personalities. The France team will welcome anyone, but each player must put his imprint so that the blue jersey can shine at the highest level.
"I will be 100% behind them. This new generation has the talent."
Betsen appeared in both of France's World Cup semi-final defeats to England in 2003 and 2007.
The Cameroon-born flanker, who will be remembered for his work-rate and fearsome tackling, won three Six Nations titles with France, two of which were grand slams (2002 and 2004).
With Biarritz, for whom he has played his entire career, Betsen has won three French championships - in 2002, 2005 and 2006.
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