Jonny Wilkinson: 'No regrets over retirement decision'

Jonny Wilkinson has insisted that his decision to retire from professional rugby at the end of last season was not premature.

The England fly-half finished his career by lifting the Heineken Cup for a second time and winning the Top 14 final with Toulon, but he has dismissed suggestions that he should have returned for another campaign in France.

"When I first came back to training with Toulon I wondered if I would look at the guys and feel that I've still got that edge, but I don't," Wilkinson told Sky Sports News.

"My time has gone and what has made that easy has been that I probably played a year-and-a-half longer than I would have done had I gone purely on a heart perspective.

"There were times during that last year that I was there, days after games, thinking to myself 'I'm not sure I want to do this anymore' and I was able to push through that, but now it's over, I've milked everything from that experience and I know it's done for me."

Wilkinson spent five years with Toulon after leaving Newcastle Falcons.