Wood trudges off into retirement (Getty Images)

By Alex Lowe, PA Sport, Melbourne

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Keith Wood departed the international arena with tears in his eyes and the unwavering respect of his peers tonight after confirming Ireland's World Cup quarter-final defeat to France would be his last game.

The 31-year-old had battled through a year of professional hardship and personal tragedy just to achieve his long-term goal of playing at a third World Cup.

Wood's participation Down Under was in doubt up until the last minute as he virtually willed the injured shoulder, that had plagued his career, to heal once again.

As he fought back, Wood knew deep down the end was nigh and worked himself into a position that when Ireland's participation in the tournament ended he had no contracts, no ties, no responsibilities to anyone other than himself.

Wood wanted absolute freedom to do what he felt was right and, after Ireland had been dismantled by 80 minutes of total rugby from a French side that looked every inch world champion material, that decision was clear.

Walking off the Telstra Dome, Wood was in tears. He knew the 43-21 defeat to the mouth-watering French had been his final helping of rugby.

"I'm going to hang up my boots from all rugby so it's a doubly sad day today," said Wood after his 58th Test.

"My desire is still there - I would play for another 10 years if I had the chance. The head is willing and the heart is willing but the body has had enough.

"I would like to be in the situation to keep going on and on and on, but I don't ever want to be in the situation where my standards fall and I slip away in poor play or that I retire by having another bad shoulder injury.

"I've had someone looking down on me, I've been incredibly fortunate and privileged to play for so long for my country."

After a 10-year international career that touched the hearts of rugby fans the world over, tonight's game was ultimately a sad way for Wood to exit the scene.

France exploded out of the blocks, scored inside the first three minutes and imparted a death-grip on the match that Ireland simply could not shake.

Frederic Michalak was imperious at fly-half, totting up 23 points from a faultless kicking display, but in Imanol Harinordoquy, Olivier Magne and their back-row buddy Serge Betsen, France had the three outstanding performers on the field.

France's loose forward trio were not only involved in the creation or completion of all four of their tries - scored by Magne, Christophe Dominici, Harinordoquy and Jean-Jacques Crenca - but their relentless pressure in defence undermined Ireland's infrequent attacking opportunities.

Together they strangled the Irish out of the game and though Brian O'Driscoll did score twice in a late rally, prompted by Kevin Maggs' 52nd minute touchdown, even his magic was not enough.

"We were battening down the hatches every two minutes only to have them ripped off again," reflected coach Eddie O'Sullivan.

"They really got a stranglehold on the game early on. If that was a boxing match we would have been in real trouble because we were getting hit from every side."

France opened the scoring inside only three minutes after Harinordoquy fielded a cross-field kick from Michalak and, via Tony Marsh, transferred the ball to Magne.

Despite the French dominance, Ireland's dogged defence limited them to just one further penalty and Wood's men had just begun to find their feet when in the 29th minute it all unravelled.

Ronan O'Gara sent a wayward pass down the line, Magne intercepted, Betsen held on just long enough to find Dominici, hero of France's 1999 semi-final win over New Zealand, who outpaced Shane Horgan to the line.

Bang. The floodgates had opened and three minutes later a broken Ireland conceded again. Harinordoquy finished off the try and, with it, Ireland's World Cup hopes.

"We really didn't know what hit us. We were punch drunk in every way, shape and form," said O'Sullivan.

"I said at half-time we'd start the second half well. So much for that plan: A penalty and a try in the first 10 minutes and it was looking pretty ominous."

With Michalak's kicking Ireland slumped 37-0 down before Maggs ran a magnificent angle and evaded the French defence spark what may have only been a minor recovery but one that spoke volumes.

"We knew at half-time that to come back and win that game was going to be the greatest turn-around of all time," said O'Sullivan.

"It took a lot of character to come out and actually go at the French and keep trying and keep plugging away and not give up anything."

On the final whistle, Wood's emotions ran free, but he was not alone as the players returned to the locker room.

"It's a strange place to be. Every muscle, every sinew, every thought is about the next step, about winning today and going up to Sydney for the semi-finals," said O'Sullivan.

"Suddenly in 80 minutes it's dashed away from you. The odyssey is over and everything you've worked for gets shot down. That is a big shock to everybody."

O'Sullivan's final word was reserved for Wood, who he described, simply, as a "legend".

"Nobody put more into this World Cup than Keith Wood. To finish today losing is tough," he said.

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