Sunday 28 May 2017 20:09, UK
Steffon Armitage has called for the Rugby Football Union to end the ban on selecting players based overseas which stalled his England Test career six years ago.
Armitage helped Toulon lift three successive European titles in a hugely successful five-year stint with the Top 14 heavyweights.
Now with Pau, the 31-year-old has remained stuck on just five caps owing to his move to France - but insisted he will never regret moving abroad.
Armitage believes every England player who has experienced French club rugby has improved, and challenged the RFU to change their policy.
"I would definitely say they should lift that ban," said Armitage, who will line up against England for the Barbarians at Twickenham on Sunday.
"Players need to feel like they've got a right to and achieve better, to want better. Rugby careers are really short and you're taking that right away from them.
"Quite a lot of them are going to look back and say 'what if' and you should never have that throughout your career. You should be happy with what you've achieved. Most of those guys as well believe that they are taking a massive risk as well. They are taking their whole family and are moving to a different country.
"That's actually showing that those guys have got some guts and they want to become better players. It might work, it might not work but they are willing to give it a go. I'm for it, I'm for the guys being available, wherever they want to play."
England boss Eddie Jones last week revealed he has only ever been turned down by one player that he had asked to represent England.
Former London Irish star Armitage insisted he was not that man however, before insisting he has no immediate desire to return to the international fold with England.
Asked if he had rejected advances from Jones, Armitage said: "No. They (England) obviously wanted me to move back to Bath and to Wasps to be able to play for them but I truly believe me staying in France was a better option to become a better rugby player.
"Playing in France I have improved every day, so I felt that was the place to be. I didn't do it for him, for anyone, I did it for my personal thing. I thought it would be the best. It is my career, not the newspapers, not the coaches, it was my career so my decision. It was a difficult decision but sometimes you have to go with your gut and go through with it.
"England was massive; I have some great memories from England, but this weekend with the Barbarians is all about having fun. I don't have to prove anything to anyone - I am quite happy with how my career has gone."
