Scotland prop Allan Jacobsen has announced his retirement from international rugby with immediate effect © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

Players/Officials: Allan Jacobsen

Tournaments/Tours: RaboDirect PRO12

Teams: Edinburgh | Scotland

Scotland and Edinburgh prop Allan Jacobsen has announced his retirement from international rugby.

The 34-year-old, Scotland's most capped prop with 65 Tests to his name, made his last international appearance in the loss to New Zealand earlier this month and was unavailable for last Saturday's defeat to South Africa for "personal reasons".

Jacobsen, who made his debut against Canada in 2002, told scottishrugby.org: "To play international rugby you have to be absolutely committed. You have to make sacrifices and do all the extra stuff in training and preparation to be right. I've always tried to do that throughout my career and playing for Scotland has meant the world to me.

"But the minute there is the possibility of it feeling like a chore... well, that's the slippery slope for me and I would never want to do anything that would either devalue the Scotland jersey or anything that I've achieved."

Scotland head coach Andy Robinson said: "Chunk has been a great servant of the Scotland team and on behalf of the team management I want to thank him for all his endeavours. I particularly admire how hard he worked to fight back from (a shoulder) injury after the 2007 Rugby World Cup and the effort he put in to be our starting prop in all four games at last year's World Cup in New Zealand.

"Chunk has often said that rugby has been good for him and his family and now that he wants to make his wife Gayle and daughter Maisie a bigger priority, then I'm sure all rugby people will support Chunk at this time and in the future."

Jacobsen is determined to continue his club career with Edinburgh for whom he has played for the last 15 years. He added: "My focus now will be on doing everything I can to bring success to Edinburgh. My desire to play for Edinburgh is really strong."

Edinburgh head coach Michael Bradley added: "We fully respect and empathise with Chunk's decision to retire from international rugby. Having spoken with him it's absolutely clear that he is 100 per cent committed to the Edinburgh Rugby cause.

"He is a fans' favourite and everyone involved in the club looks forward to seeing him back in the black and red of Edinburgh Rugby, starting with his involvement this Friday against Ospreys at Murrayfield."