BREAKING: Matt Giteau retires from rugby with immediate effect

He last played, for the now defunct, LA Giltinis of Major League Rugby (MLR). His regular playing positions are inside centre, halfback and fly-half.

Giteau played as a utility back. His usual positions were inside centre and fly-half, although he started his career as a scrum-half.

He wrote on social media: "Just wanted to announce my retirement from professional rugby union. Half my life spent playing this great game professionally and traveling the world getting to do it.

"Forever grateful to all my many coaches, staff members, referees and touch judges along the way. And of course a big thank you to my many teammates that helped me play and grow as a player and a person.

"So many great friendships made & some unbelievable memories created along the way. Special mention to my wife and kids who sacrifice so much for me to prepare and play for so long.

"Moving countries, schools, and way from friends so that | could continue to play & chase my dreams. Huge thanks to my parents also, who have travelled the world to support me and the sacrifices they made for me to actually make a career out of this sport.

"Also my brothers & sister who rode the ups and downs of my career as much as anyone. It's been such an amazing experience & one that | will miss but | have milked this game and the contracts dry & Thank you,"

He played for the Wallabies for the first time in 2002 against England at Twickenham and was a nominee for the International Rugby Board Player of the Year in 2004.

He has appeared in 104 Super Rugby matches. During his career he has won 103 test caps for Australia.

Giteau was re-selected to the national team after several years' absence under a rule known as 

Giteau's law.

Honourable mentions: Will Greenwood (England), Scott Gibbs (Wales), Sonny Bill Williams (New Zealand), Danie Gerber (South Africa), Frank Bunce (New Zealand), Yannick Jauzion (France)

Known initially more for his braided hair and eyeliner, he added passing and kicking to his raw line-breaking power to become one of the great centres, capping his Test career with that superb World Cup final try in 2015.

Did you know? Nonu became a vegetarian while playing in France for Toulon, citing his son Michael as his motivation

England and British and Irish Lions centre Jeremy Guscott possessed great pace and this coupled with his hard tackling made him one of England’s most valuable assets in the early 1990s. He burst onto the international scene with a super hat-trick and this was a sign of things to come as he went on to represent England on 65 occasions, scoring an impressive 143 points.

Did you know? Since his retirement from the game he has worked full-time as a pundit for the BBC.

Only a handful of players has won the Rugby World Cup Twice and power-packed runner Tim Horan is one of them, triumphing in 1991 and 1999 with Australia. He made his international debut in 1989 against the All Blacks and would go on to make 80 caps, scoring 30 tries, in a impressive 11-year career.

Did you know? Horan’s father is Mike Horan, the former National Party and Liberal National Party Member of Parliament for the Queensland electorate of Toowoomba South.

Armed with pace, strength and great handling skills France legend Philippe Sella established himself as the world’s best centre for much of the 80’s. He made his presence felt in the France team for 13 successive campaigns between 1982 and 1995, and was never just there to make up the numbers.

He scored an impressive total of 25 tries for his country and was one of only five individuals who have scored a try in every match of a Six Nations Championship. He accumulated 111 caps for Les Bleus and commanded a universal reverence from his peers and became one of France’s favourite sons.

Did you know? He was famously described by the former France coach Jacques Fouroux as having “the strength of a bull but the touch of a piano player.”

Only one man could top this list and that is one of the most feared men to have ever played the game. The former Ireland and British and Irish Lions Skipper Brian O’Driscoll was one of the most consistent performers in the world for over a decade.

He hung up his boots in 2014 after accumulating 133 caps for Ireland with a fantastic return of 245 points. In the emerald green, he triumphed in the Six Nations in 2009 (Grand Slam) and 2014 as well as being chosen as Player of the Tournament in 2006, 2007 and 2009.

The Dublin-born is also the highest all-time Irish record try scorer with an incredible 46 scores, and also led his country more times than any other player.

Did you know? O’Driscoll was the most-capped player in rugby union history when he retired, having played 141 Test matches.