Wallabies games record-holder James Slipper has announced his international retirement, but Brumbies fans need not worry.
Slipper will draw the curtain on his glittering Wallabies career on Saturday night when he lines up in the blockbuster Bledisloe Cup clash with New Zealand in Perth.
The 36-year-old joined Welsh legend Alun Wyn Jones (171 Tests) and New Zealand's Sam Whitelock (153 Tests) in becoming just the third player to reach 150 Tests when he ran out in last week's 33-24 loss to the All Blacks in Auckland.
Fittingly, Slipper's Test career will end where it started - in Perth.
Slipper was just 21 when he became Wallaby No.843 with a debut off the bench against England at Subiaco Oval in 2010.
Although the powerful prop is retiring from international rugby, he will play on with the Brumbies in next year's Super Rugby Pacific competition.
"It feels like the right time for me to step away from Test Rugby," Slipper said.
"There's a number of good young props coming through who will need time in the saddle leading into what's going to be an unbelievable experience of a home Rugby World Cup in 2027.
"It will also allow me to spend more quality time with my wife Kara and two young daughters Lily and Ava, which is something that I owe to them after 16 years of full-time professional rugby."
Wallabies flanker Carlo Tizzano says the team is desperate to send Slipper off with a win.
"We definitely want to go out on a high for him," Tizzano said.
"We were devastated we couldn't do that last weekend for his 150th.
"We want to make it special for him. He's playing some of his best footy at the moment, which is pretty cool to see."
This year Slipper became just the fifth Wallaby in 126 years to play in two separate British and Irish Lions series.
John Thornett (1959 and 1966), Peter Johnson (1959 and 1966), Tony Miller (1959 and 1966) and George Smith (2001 and 2013) are the others.
Slipper holds the Australian record for most Test caps, and is the most-capped international Test prop of all time, 14 clear of Ireland's Cian Healy.
A Gold Coast junior, Slipper became the Wallabies' 83rd Test captain in 2015, and has gone on to lead his country on 15 occasions.
Slipper is also one of only three Wallabies to have featured at four separate World Cups, joining George Gregan and Adam Ashley-Cooper.
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt sang Slipper's praises.
"First and foremost Slips is a great person," Schmidt said.
"He's incredibly popular in the group and is the ultimate team man.
"I know how much representing the Wallabies means to him, and his record speaks for itself with the number of milestones he has achieved at the highest level of the game."
AUSTRALIAN RUGBY RECORDS HELD BY JAMES SLIPPER
* Most-capped Wallaby of all time (150 Tests*)
* Most Rugby World Cup match appearances by a Wallaby (21 Tests)
* Equal most Rugby World Cups attended by a Wallaby (four)
* Most-capped Australian Super Rugby player of all time (198 matches)
