Ben Youngs will play his last game for England in Friday night’s World Cup third-place play-off against Argentina.
The Leicester scrum-half will retire from Test rugby after his 127th and final England cap, where he will extend still further his record haul for England’s men’s team.
The 34-year-old half-back made his England debut in 2010, and has featured in four World Cups and the 2013 Lions tour.
Youngs will start against the Pumas on Friday night and England have confirmed he has decided to retire from international rugby after the World Cup.
“Ben has been a tremendous player for English rugby for such a long time,” said head coach Steve Borthwick.
“He’s our record cap holder, a player who has seen a lot in four World Cups and who has played an important role within this squad helping the team, particularly Alex Mitchell, progress.
“He's a brilliant player and a fantastic team man.”
England boss Borthwick has made eight changes from the starting side that lost out so agonisingly to South Africa 16-15 in Saturday’s semi-final.
Courtney Lawes has not been included, having battled through a punishing but influential performance against the Springboks. Tom Curry has shifted to blindside flanker, with Sam Underhill making his first appearance of the competition having been called up as an injury replacement for Jack Willis.
Borthwick paid tribute to Lawes, who is another England start to have appeared at four World Cups who will hang up his Test boots. Lawes will continue on for Northampton, just as Youngs will press forward with Leicester.
But England will be losing a combined 232 caps between just two players beyond this World Cup.
“This week as we debriefed last weekend’s game we were using so many clips of Courtney, things done so well, things exactly what we wanted to do,” said Borthwick.
“Courtney, the way he moves, the way he runs, the way he hunts for every loose ball, chases down attacks, pulls them back in when it seems he has no right to do it, he manages to do it somehow.
“That hunger and fight he has within him, the pride to help his team, is what I saw years ago when I first joined the England team, a long time ago. And I have seen it right until last weekend’s game.
“He has been tremendous and continues to be tremendous in the way he is helping the team this week.”
