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Clermont Auvergne full-back Nick Abendanon says the Rugby Football Union tied the hands of coach Stuart Lancaster by not allowing players working for clubs outside England to represent the national team at the World Cup.

Abendanon has won the European Player of the Year award, the third time a French-based English player has won it.

Yet since the 2011 Rugby World Cup, an RFU rule has said only those involved in domestic rugby can play for England, meaning players such as Abendanon and Toulon's Steffon Armitage have been unavailable for selection except in 'exceptional circumstances.'

“The most upsetting thing for me is simply the fact that England haven’t given themselves the best opportunity to go out and win the World Cup. By not making their best players available for selection they’re not giving themselves the best opportunity," he said.

"The Australian coach Michael Cheika has run through walls to make sure he can select the best players – to me that’s someone who wants to win a World Cup.

“Lancaster had his reasons – I think he may have had his hands tied by the RFU. They want to keep that policy in place to make sure their players don’t leave and play their rugby in France. For me the coach is the one who needs to make these decisions. The decision not to select these players is pretty criminal," Abendanon added.

England have been eliminated from the World Cup at the Pool stage after defeats to Wales and Australia.

This clip is from 5 live Sport, Sunday 4 October 2015.

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