Rob Howley will end his international career for Wales after Saturday's Six Nations Championship match against Scotland at the Millennium Stadium.
The 31-year-old scrum-half, who has been dogged by a long-standing knee problem, wants more time to spend with his family.
He told a British newspaper: "There's never a good time to make a decision like this, but I felt that the time is right. My wife is expecting our second child this week and obviously my family commitments will increase after that.
"I had already decided not to tour with Wales to South Africa in the summer and, having chosen to go down that route, I felt it was right to step down altogether.
"My knee is still causing me problems and combining club rugby with international rugby commitments makes it tougher all the time," he said.
Howley has won 58 caps and was captain of Wales under Kevin Bowring but lost his place after the 1999 World Cup.
However, he enjoyed a return to form in club rugby with Cardiff and was part of the Lions team that toured Australia last summer.
