Jonny Wilkinson has revealed that he retired at the end of last season because he'd simply had enough of the training needed to be a top-level rugby star.

The 35-year-old England legend, whose last-gasp drop-goal in the 2003 World Cup final gave his country the title, told The Times newspaper he is still training regularly but that he turned down the opportunity to help his former club Toulon out amid an injury crisis.

"I probably could have played on longer. But I'd had enough of putting myself through that. As soon as that touches, my body shuts down," said Wilkinson, who ended his final season with Toulon by doing the French Top 14 and European Cup double.

He had been expected to retire 12 months earlier but although Toulon were also crowned European champions in 2013, they lost to Castres in the Top 14 final, a result that had a direct bearing on Wilkinson's future.