As expected there was no place for Mark Cueto in Stuart Lancaster's squad for the forthcoming Six Nations beginning next month as the new interim head coach looks to build a new team with a view to the 2015 World Cup.
Cueto is a one of a number of the members of England's dismal World Cup campaign to have either voluntarily cut loose from England or simply been omitted by Lancaster.
The retirement of captain Lewis Moody, fly-half Jonny Wilkinson and hooker Steve Thompson has forced the hand of the new head coach but he has chosen to shed the vastly experienced Cueto, Nick Easter and Mike Tindall.
In the new Elite Performance squad the place of the Sale Sharks wing is taken by Charlie Sharples and David Strettle, while there is no place of Matt Banahan.
This said however the 32 year-old who has won 55 caps and scored 20 tries in England colours has vowed that he will not give up on international rugby and his omission shall not prompt a retirement from it.
"In terms of not being picked I'm not going to suddenly turn around and announce my international retirement. You never know as whoever comes in in the summer might decide he wants to bring a few older boys back. And we all know how important it is to have experienced guys in a team.
Although it is unquestionable that Cueto would offer experience to the England squad both on and off the field, as alluded to by squad member Charlie Sharples, one can't help but feel that to leave some out yet select others would be contradictory of Lancaster's overall vision for what no one can doubt is now 'his' team. Hopefully doing away with baggage that was collected in New Zealand last autumn.
Cueto admits though that should he play for England once again or if this is in fact the end of his international career he is prepared for either scenario.
"Now that I know I won't be involved in the Six Nations, it's not a case of me putting my hand up and saying I'm going to retire from international rugby. For me, it's just about enjoying playing for Sale and the revival we're having, and enjoying trying to push the club back up to where we want to be.
Like the whole host of England players whom the Lancaster axe as swung upon Cueto's last England appearance came in their defeat to France in the quarter-final at Eden Park. A landmark game for Cueto saw him become the eighth played to score 20 or tries.
After representing English Universities, England Sevens, and the A team in the Churchill Cup Cueto's Test debut came against Canada in 2004, scoring twice.
In the 2005 the Manchester Metropolitan University graduate ran in a hat trick in the Six Nations against Italy, also equalling Chris Oti's record 14-year-old record of scoring in eight consecutive Premiership matches.
Recognition from Sir Clive Woodward, something that had somewhat eluded Cueto in the early part of his professional career, came in 2005 upon inclusion in the travelling party for the British & Irish Lions' tour to New Zealand.
Two years later Cueto was the scorer of 'the try that never was' in the Rugby World final in the Stade De France. Television match official Stuart Dickinson ruling that his left foot was in-touch, denying England the score and possibly the most unexpected of World Cup triumphs.
To think that Cueto has achieved 55 caps, 29 of those coming consecutively before being ruled out of the first two pool games of the 2011 RWC, while doing so he amassed 70 Premiership tries over ten seasons. A tribute to his knack for scoring and his own longevity.
It is either unfortunate or fitting the England revolution should take place now, in a year that sees Cueto celebrate his testimonial year with the Sale Sharks. There can be no doubting that Cueto has not only been a great and sometimes undervalued servant to England but also to the domestic game.
Whether that fateful night in Auckland is to be the last we see of Cueto it is uncertain but one cannot deny that if he were to come back into the England fold he would be one of the more deserving from the departures that we have seen post World Cup.
