Abendanon, 36, recently called time on his career after a three-year spell with RC Vannes, where he’s been playing in the second tier of French rugby.
The twice-capped England international played for Bath from 2005 to 2014 before a six-year spell with Clermont Auvergne, where he was named European Player of the Year in 2015.
Abendanon is planning to spend the next few years coaching in France, where he has had enormous success, and has major concerns for rugby in England.
“From the outside looking in, I’m extremely worried about the state of affairs of English rugby at the moment,” he said. “There’s a lot of negative press not just around the clubs but the game itself.
“There’s a lot of focus at the moment with regards to head-knocks and injuries and as a result participating numbers have completely dropped down, and now seeing three massive clubs go bust will send a shockwave through all the other clubs, who will wonder how they’re not going to find themselves in the same situation.
“Players have such short careers and they want to try and maximise their earnings as quickly as possible and as much as they can, but some of the contracts the players are getting are not sustainable for the clubs.”
Abendanon feels that in the professional era England has lost the community aspect around its biggest rugby clubs, which has led to such divergent fortunes between the top two tiers in England and France.
Denne historien er fra June 11, 2023-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra June 11, 2023-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Unbeaten Lymm put the Tykes on a leash
LYMM maintained their unbeaten start to the campaign, taking the major scalp of Leeds Tykes and ending the visitors' unblemished start.
Dramatic late win boosts leaders
A LAST-minute converted try saw Tonbridge Juddians snatch victory from the jaws of defeat at Barnes.
England need to be more consistent
I WAS at last week's game against the All Blacks and as much as I enjoyed my first visit to the stadium since the Six Nations, I couldn't help noticing a different attitude of those in control of the stadium's notification system which puts out messages to the crowd.
Cuthbert: Wales have to deliver
ALEX Cuthbert says the pressure on Wales is huge ahead of their opening Autumn Nations Series game against Fiji today.
Anyanwu heads the list of star attractions
TOP 14 transfer speculation is always thoroughly entertaining, and this season has so far been no exception.
Goldthorp can challenge Kildunne for No.15 spot
LOUGHBOROUGH Lightning head coach Nathan Smith is backing Fran Goldthorp to compete with Ellie Kildunne, right, for England's No.15 jersey.
Four-try David calls the shots for Bears
MILLIE David helped Bristol blow Leicester away after scoring four of their 10 tries at Welford Road.
Scott-Young keen to follow his father
TYPICAL of most Australians, Scott-Young Angus has fairly sunny disposition and the loose forward is confident that Saints can soon start to turn things around on the road.
When value for money is not part of the deal
ENGLAND'S bench strategy against New Zealand - goodbye \"bomb squad\", hello \"squib squad\"-has been investigated, psychoanalysed, convicted on all charges and mercilessly sentenced by the entire rugby world and its maiden aunt, so there is no earthly point in returning to the scene of the crime.
'I want to prove my worth to Bath'
OUT-OF-FAVOUR winger RuBath aridh McConnochie is hoping to use the Premiership Cup to lay down a challenge to Johann van Graan and make his selection claims impossible to ignore.
