Moody calls time on his England career after Cup flop

The 33-year-old flanker, a World Cup winner with England in 2003 and veteran of 71 Tests, was captain of the side which exited at the quarter-finals in New Zealand following a campaign dogged by controversy.

“I realised I might be making this decision before the World Cup started,” Moody said.

“It’s a big decision to make and I feel emotional about making it, but it’s the right thing to do for me and for the England rugby squad.”

Moody, who will now concentrate on his domestic career with Bath, added: “My time with England has been unbelievable, even if the last few weeks have not gone so well.”

Moody admitted that England’s below-par World Cup performance should be the prompt for changes both at captain and among the wider playing personnel.

“It’s only right for the team to move on,” he said.

“There will be changes, maybe in management and definitely in some of the match-day 22, and if England want to start planning for a successful World Cup here in four years’ time, then it is my belief that they should be appointing a new captain from February to see the team right the way through to 2015.

“Even if they still wanted me to carry on, there’s no way I’d last another four years, so it is absolutely right to stand down now and give someone else the opportunity to captain England.”

England team manager Martin Johnson hailed Moody’s unwavering commitment to his country’s cause.

Johnson said: “Lewis has been a great servant to English rugby and has literally put his body on the line more times than he can probably remember.

“To play in two World Cup finals and then lead his country in a third campaign is a great testament to him.

“He will be missed on and off the field and on behalf of everyone in the England squad, players, coaches and management, we wish him all the best for the rest of his career.”

England’s stay in New Zealand was overshadowed by players’ raucous behaviour.

And Moody, who made his England debut against Canada in 2001, scoring nine tries and captaining his country 11 times, accepts that he must take some of the blame for the myriad misdemeanours.

“I have to take some of the responsibility because, as England captain, it was under my watch,” Moody said. “I concede that some of the behaviour was at best naive and at worst totally unacceptable.”