No more in the tank for Corry the fire-fighter

The opening lines of Felicia Hemans' celebrated 19th century poem about an incident in Lord Nelson's fleet at the Battle of the Nile springs to mind: The boy stood on the burning deck, Whence all but he had fled.

The image was never more relevant in Corry's case than during the shameful capitulation in Paris twoyearsagowhen he gave the impression of playing the French on his own.

His fire-fighting that day probably saved the World Cup holders from going down by a 50-point margin instead of a mere 25.

Few captains have been subjected to quite as many searing tests of character, not least when fate did its worst to cast him in the role of defending the indefensible, like the 36-0 pasting by South Africa at the World Cup.

Corry, saddled with the grim duty only because Phil Vickery had been banned a few days earlier for hacking an American opponent, spoke the words which were written all over his haunted face: 'We are shell-shocked.'

Recurring adversity cannot obscure his status as a true yeoman of England, a multi-purpose backfive forward still good enough at 34 for Brian Ashton to have picked him for the Six Nations as a back row-cum-lock.

As Corry announced his international retirement instead, the head coach had no option but to rub his name off the list and swallow his 'real disappointment'.

Corry said: 'It's just a shame I'm getting old and I can't keep doing it all. Something has to give if I want to continue playing.'

He plans to soldier on for Leicester until the end of next season but no more blood will be shed for England after winning 64 caps since his debut against Argentina in 1997. 'It gradually dawns on you that there are other things in life,' he said.

'I've missed a lot of family life and there are other challenges out there.'

England have lost a terrific pro and a top bloke, but Tara Corry regains a husband.