Nick Abendanon has called out England players as pathetic for not wanting overseas-based players to be included in the World Cup squad.

Tom Youngs and Tom Wood were among the players in the squad to express their wish not to see foreign-based players selected by Stuart Lancaster.

The England coach decided not to include Abendanon and Steffon Armitage, the last two European players of the year, who ply their trade in France for Clermont and Toulon respectively.

However Abendanon believes that players in France could offer something different to the squad as England come to terms with going out of the pool stages of the World Cup.

"To have that competition, to have someone who’s been playing at the top level in France and in Europe, come in and maybe teach the guys a few things, really make sure the other players are threatened for their place and pick themselves up another level, for me that’s only a good thing," he told BT Sport on Rugby Tonight.

"You know, he never had to pick us but I think he should’ve brought the guys in to make sure that his players pick it up another level.

"To hear some players say 'ah we shouldn’t pick international players because it will unsettle the squad', I mean that to me is pathetic, that should be something that would motivate you even more to want to keep your place."