PHIL de Glanville has scaled just about every height that rugby has to offer and he is determined to bow out with a bang.

The former England captain has set his retirement date for June next year but his desire to win remains as focused as ever.

While some players have made more comebacks than Frank Sinatra, there is little doubt that de Glanville's retirement is permanent.

He wants to quit while he is near the top, and he has a job he can turn to which will ease his passage into a normal life.

The threequarter worked as an IT management consultant before the advent of the professional era, and he has continued there on a part-time basis.

However, he is trying to put all thoughts of life after rugby to the back of his mind while he concentrates on the job in hand, which is beating Munster tomorrow.

"It is a daunting place to go," he said. "They have never lost at home in the European Cup, so we have to try to do something no-one else has done.

"We kept the ball well at Newport and we made fewer mistakes, but it was still too many.

"We made one or two errors in the first half, and they scored from them. We can't afford to give Munster any easy points. They are an excellent side."

The centre has been in a difficult position since he was injured after the World Cup.

He has only returned to the starting line-up in the last two matches.

Watching from the sidelines was difficult for a man who has won the Heineken Cup, Tetley Bitter Cups and league titles.

With England, he has lifted the Grand Slam and beaten every major rugby nation except Australia.

However, he never felt he had a divine right to a place in the side, although he believes he still has a lot to offer.

"The guys were playing very well," he said. "I just had to play some games for the reserves and do well.

"There are a lot of young lads in the Bath team and I suppose I can bring experience and understanding of the game."

The 32-year-old will enjoy putting his feet up permanently at the end of the arduous season, but strangely for a veteran of 38 England caps and nearly 200 games for Bath, de Glanville suffers from pre-match anxiety.

"I am looking forward to having a rest," he said. "There are a lot of things I will miss, like the comradeship of the dressing room, the general day-to-day environment and the matches.

"One thing that I won't miss is the nerves. It varies with who you are playing, but it has always been my adrenaline fix for the week."

Nerves or no nerves, de Glanville will always look back with pride on his achievements.

He said: "I have had a good run. If I had my time again, I wouldn't change much."