Back in December 2012 England shocked the rugby world, thrashing a great New Zealand team against the odds in front of an enraptured Twickenham. It was a fresh-looking England group assembled by head coach Stuart Lancaster, many at the start of their international careers. A host would go on to be mainstays at the next two – or even three - Rugby World Cups. Dan Cole, Mike Brown, Ben Youngs and Alex Goode all started that day. More than 12 years on, they all say goodbye to English rugby in the coming days and weeks. Danny Care, who was on the bench, is also bowing out. And while it is customary for a handful of great servants to retire from the game at the end of any season, seldom have a group of this calibre left the stage together. No men have played for England more than 35-year-old Youngs and Cole, 37, both Test centurions and Leicester loyalists. Another one-club man Goode, 37, recently played his 400th game for Saracens, for whom he has won a whopping six Premiership titles and played in nine finals. Harlequins legend Care, 38, another Test centurion, made his England debut in 2008 and retired from international duty 16 years later in 2024; an unprecedented span. Meanwhile Brown is still playing at the top level at the age of 39. Only Richard Wigglesworth, Care and Goode have more Premiership appearances than the durable full-back. All of them have given a huge amount to the English game. It is the end of an era. "It seems like loads of us have gone at the same time," Care said, citing also the mid-season retirements of generational players Joe Marler and Anthony Watson. "But it's probably a sign of the times a little bit. There are so many academy kids, younger boys replacing older boys now. "So the squad dynamic is probably a little bit different. There aren't many of us anymore! "But it does feel like a bit of an end of an era. A lot of lads who have played a lot of rugby for club and country, going at the same time."