Wales' record try scorer Shane Williams insists next Saturday's Millennium Stadium Test against Australia is the right time to bring the curtain down on his international career.
The 34-year-old Ospreys winger, who has scored 57 tries for his country, will win his 87th and final cap against the Wallabies, 11 years after making his debut against France.
"I believe it is the right time for me to do this. There are a lot of youngsters who are going to be playing for Wales for a long time in my position," Williams said."We are very lucky to have a lot of youngsters coming through who are capable of playing at international level."
Aside from a brief period during Steve Hansen's reign as national coach, where he was sidelined due to a lack of form and fitness, Williams has been one of the first names on the Wales teamsheet and he will leave supporters with plenty of fond memories, not least his involvement in the 2005 and 2008 Grand Slam successes.
And age has not dulled the arch-finisher's predatory instincts, as shown by the three tries he scored at the recent World Cup, which included one in the third-place play-off defeat to Australia.
Williams added: "The closer it gets to the day the more sad I will be, but as far as I am concerned it will be the right time.
"I keep saying if I had the chance to keep playing for Wales until I am 50 I would, but I wouldn't be very good.
"I am excited about the day, it is going to be a great day, I will have a lot of friends and family up there and it will be an even better day when we beat Australia."
But Williams, the only Welshman to win the IRB Player of the Year award following his 2008 exploits, admitted that a few people have tried to change his mind about quitting the game's elite level.
"People have questioned why I am doing it, but it feels like the right time, I believe that myself," he said. "There is a lot of pressure from people within and outside the camp and my family but I expected that, I knew this day would come but I wanted it to do it on my own terms."
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i remember watching shane play in the loftus verdfelt stadium in pretoria which is a hot bed of rugby and even the afrikans were shouting give the ball to shane ,this was an accolade to the man that the rugby world loved to see him play ,thanks shane for those moments enjoy the rest of your career and your international retirement
Great little dude.... fabulous to watch and will miss being amazed at how he slipped so many tackles.- electric ... now get a proper haircut!
This what makes rugby special, all shapes and sizes, Shane Williams top man
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