Western Stormers halfback Ricky Januarie has withdrawn from South Africa's Rugby World Cup preliminary squad and announced his retirement from the international game.
The 29-year-old was a surprise inclusion at the expense of the Cheetahs No.9 Sarel Pretorius in a 49-man squad named by coach Peter de Villiers last week.
Januarie has also been released from his contract with the Cape Town-based Stormers and will join French club Lyon in time for the start of the new European season.
The Springbok won the first of 47 caps six years ago but says he wants to move on and concentrate all his efforts on helping Lyon in their first season in the French Top 14 championship.
Januarie will be best remembered for a breakaway 2008 Tri-Nations championship try that brought the Springboks their first triumph in Dunedin over greatest rivals the All Blacks.
