Humphreys calls time on his Test career

Confined exclusively to a watching brief during the recent Six Nations, as expected David Humphreys has confirmed his decision to retire from Test rugby.

The 34-year-old will continue to play for Ulster for another year, but Eddie O'Sullivan's search for an understudy/rival to Ronan O'Gara must begin with this summer's tour to New Zealand and Australia.

"I'm retiring from Test rugby," Humphreys told The Irish Times last night, after informing O'Sullivan earlier in the day of his decision. "Going into this year I was pretty certain that I would retire but it probably wouldn't have taken a huge amount to force a change of heart again. But due to not playing at all I didn't really have any decision to make."

Spending the guts of eight weeks in camp without spending any time on the pitch has become less attractive. "For family reasons, and the option of playing on for another year with Ulster allows me to spend more time with my family, I can hopefully now spend more time with them and play more rugby, which is what I want to do at this stage of my career. I believe Ulster have a good young squad and I want to concentrate on playing with them now."

Humphreys hasn't ruled out the option of continuing beyond next year, but was non-committal about that. "Ultimately it will depend on how much rugby I play and how much Ulster feel I have to offer. But I've been saying this will be my last year now for about four or five years so maybe I'd be better off not commenting on that now," he joked.

An increasingly rare product of the amateur era, as well as Ireland's most capped outhalf, he took some of the old university joy for the game from his Queen's days into the professional game and there will have been many outstanding memories from his time in a green jersey, not least due to the pace and flair he brought to Ireland's game as well as his cultured kicking game and his haul of 560 points from 72 Tests, 25 of them as a replacement.

Having made his debut against France in 1996, and continually interchanged with Eric Elwood for the next five years, he suffered through much of the grim '90s, culminating in that defeat in Lens against Argentina and the ensuing hammering in Twickenham, after which he was one of those demoted to make way for the five new caps (and in his case, Ronan O'Gara). Yet the redemptory 44-22 win over Scotland was still very much in the balance when he replaced O'Gara, a nervous debutant, in the 51st minute, after which Humphreys was the catalyst for Ireland pulling away.

He regained his starting place on and off, playing in the wins over Wales and England in 2001, and throughout the 2002 Six Nations and again in the 2003 Six Nations, when he was the hand on the tiller and a supplier of a then Irish record (eclipsed by O'Gara this season) of 73 points in the championship, scoring tries in the opening wins over both Scotland and Italy en route to a Grand Slam decider against England.

He went into the 2003 World Cup as first-choice outhalf, but after being replaced in the 16-15 pool win over Argentina, has largely been confined to bit parts from the bench save for four starts in Ireland's subsequent 27 Tests, against the US, Japan (twice) and Romania.

Even his appearances off the bench have becoming increasingly sporadic. For example, in the 2004 Six Nations he came on three times, but never before the 78th minute; last season there was just four minutes against Scotland, and this season he was idle for all five games.

But he takes few regrets with him. "Playing for Ireland has been the highlight of my career and all I ever wanted to do was play once for Ireland.

"There have been many highlights, and some disappointments, but I think when I look back the good memories will be more general. I travelled the world with Ireland, and played against great players and with great players.

"Not winning a championship remains a disappointment but I've not no doubt this Ireland team can go on to achieve that and make a big impression at the next World Cup. For those reasons it would have been tempting to continue, but that would have been selfish. All good things must come to an end."

You'd venture he still had much to offer but either way he'll be missed.