England captain Jamie Peacock has decided to retire from international rugby league with immediate effect.
"In 2000, when I made my debut, it was beyond my wildest ambition and dreams that I would then go onto represent my country nearly 50 times and captain them for seven years.
"I felt that the time would be right for me to step down and solely concentrate on playing for my club.
"The focus for Steve McNamara and the England team has to be the objective of trying to win the Rugby League World Cup next year and for the next generation of players to be part of that process.
"While I feel there are deficiencies within Super League, the one aspect for me that made this decision easier was the huge amount of exciting young talent coming through the elite competition in this country.
"I feel now is the time for the younger players to rise to the challenge of trying to be the dominant force in world rugby league over the next few years.
"Whenever I have captained or played for my country against the best in the world I have always enjoyed rising to the challenge and played with passion, commitment and honesty. I believe that this current England team will continue to do the same."
Peacock, who was awarded the MBE in this year's New Year Honours list, has represented England 22 times as well as earning 26 caps for Great Britain.
He missed the 2010 Four Nations Series Down Under after undergoing a knee re-construction but made a full recovery in time to lead England to the final against Australia the following year.
McNamara said: "Jamie Peacock is rugby league's ultimate warrior. It has been a privilege and an honour to coach Jamie at international level.
"He has given every ounce of blood, sweat and tears to the national set-up and it will be a massive challenge to replace such a fantastic athlete and captain.
"He is the perfect role model for any aspiring junior wanting to be the best they can be. The way he inspires those around him is his distinct quality.
"Jamie's qualities will not be lost as he will have a major part to play in the overall England programme going forward as we continue to build to the Rugby League World Cup next year."