England captain Lewis Moody has announced his retirement from international rugby following England’s disappointing Rugby World Cup.

Thirty-three-year-old Moody won the Rugby World Cup in 2003 and has played 71 tests for England who he captained at the world cup.

“I realised I might be making this decision before the World Cup started,” Moody told The Mail on Sunday.

“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 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 disappointingly early exit should prompt the powers that be to make changes in captain and in the playing squad.

“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.”

There has been much speculation over who will coach England going forward and Martin Johnson has not yet revealed whether he wants to continue but Moody says the players are behind him.

“There is not a single member of the World Cup squad who does not believe Johnno should stay on and finish the job, just as Clive Woodward did after 1999,” he said.

“I know the players are gutted that Johnno is taking so much flak. Nobody wants him to go.