Giant Quinnell will be missed

Cast your mind back to spring '99 -Wales grabbed shock wins over France in Paris and England at Wembley before they beat the Argentinans in their own back yard and beat the Springboks for the very first time at home in Cardiff.

Those wins were achieved around a strong backbone, but only Neil Jenkins is left to announce his retirement.

Hooker Garin Jenkins retired earlier this autumn and scrum-half Rob Howley went after the last Six Nations, full-back Shane Howarth was taken out of the side following the sorry Grannygate episode and centre Scott Gibbs hung his boots up after the 2001 Lions tour.

So farewell Henry's Heroes, with Graham Henry back in New Zealand, the stage is now set for the next crop of Welsh rugby players to shine, or will they be left all black and blue when New Zealand come to town next Saturday?

And why couldn't Quinnell wait another week to play the All Blacks?

It's always good to go out on a winning note and which test match is more likely to give a flagging Wales side a win - Canada or New Zealand?

It's not rocket science.

Quinnell, one of Wales best ever number eights, could be talked into making his swan-song against Canada, but the ominous sight of New Zealand was not going to persuade him to stay on a wee bit longer.

A lucrative pay-packet from a Welsh newspaper meant Quinnell was not keen to speak to the press after his departure - imagine Michael Owen retiring from England's football side and not bothering to offer a few words to the papers about his passing career.

But the tributes were flowing thick and fast round the Millennium Stadium for him.

With the captaincy now looking like it will be bestowed permanently on his shoulders, Colin Charvis said: "It's a sad moment with Scott leaving, he has been a big influence on my career over the last seven years.

"But I can understand his decision to spend more time with his family and I wish him and his family the best."