In 1999, Uruguay captain Diego Ormaechea became the oldest man to play in the Rugby World Cup. He was 40 and his record is safe; this year the oldest are only 38.

England lock Simon Shaw, Argentina's hooker Mario Ledesma and Russian No8 Viacheslav Grachev head a bunch of 30-something rugby players for whom this World Cup is the last hurrah. It could be the swansong for several players who have defied age and injury to be in New Zealand. Many are Springboks.

Victor Matfied, 34, has already made it clear he will not play test rugby, or any professional rugby, after this tournament.

Bok skipper John Smit, 33, will probably not continue to play test rugby, although he has not formally announced his retirement from the international game. Smit has taken up a two-year contract with English club side Saracens and, in theory, could play for the Boks if still wanted.

Bakkies Botha, at 32, is at his last World Cup and will head to Toulon in France next season, but will be available for a little longer if the Boks want him.

"You must make a shift in your mind," Botha said recently when asked about his overseas move.

"It is going to be a bit difficult. I've talked to Victor [Matfield] because he spent six or seven months in France and I know it will be tough but if I can go for two or three years, my family will be set for life."

Other members of the old guard who will play in their last World Cup action are All Black lock Brad Thorn who, at the age of 36, was a late starter in rugby union after a career in rugby league. He has been one of New Zealand's most underrated weapons and will be sorely missed next year.

Ditto for England lock Shaw. The 38-year-old keeps defying his age. He made his test debut in 1996, the year the great Bok flank Andre Venter made his test debut.

Venter has been retired for 10 years, having played the last of his 64 tests in 2001.

Shaw played for the British & Irish Lions against the Boks in 1997 and 2009 but missed the 1999 World Cup because of a back injury. He was a member of the last two England World Cup campaigns.

Ledesma, who is three months older than Shaw, will be competing in his fourth World Cup, having made his debut at the tournament in 1999. He was one of the key figures in the Pumas' run to third place in 2007.

Wallaby lock Radike Samo is 35 and making a late debut at the showpiece event after making his debut for Australia in 2004. He subsequently spent two years playing club rugby in France, which cost him a place in the 2007 World Cup squad.

He was in semi-retirement at the end of last year, but was thrown a lifeline by the Reds, who have now contracted him until 2013, when he will be 37. He scored a phenomenal try against the All Blacks two weeks ago, running 60m to touchdown in a 25-20 win that made the Wallabies Tri-Nations champions.

Fijian flyhalf Nicky Little will turn 35 next week, making him the oldest backline player at the tournament.

Of the other backline players, the Irish duo of centre Brian O'Driscoll and flyhalf Paddy Wallace are both 32, and are unlikely to feature at a World Cup again.

Irish flyhalf Ronan O'Gara, 34, is the oldest player in the squad.