Danny Care© David Rogers/Getty Images

Harlequins scrum-half Danny Care is still mystified over why he was used so sparingly during England's dismal Rugby World Cup campaign.

The No.9's game time was limited to a start in their meaningless final pool stage match against Uruguay having dropped to third-choice scrum-half in England's pecking order. It was a rapid fall from grace.

Heading into the previous November's internationals, Care was first-choice scrum-half but following a loose pass against South Africa, one which Jan Serfontein intercepted and scored from, he was then dropped for their next game against Samoa.

Care bears no ill feeling towards Lancaster but is still bemused to why he was so underused in the World Cup.

"I was obviously really disappointed to drop from first choice to third choice overnight," Care said. "I didn't really understand the decision behind it and it did hurt. I felt like I would have added a bit if they had given me a chance but it wasn't to be. I just felt I didn't deserve for that to happen to me. I did not feel I had played badly enough for that to happen. In the two games I felt I had done okay against two of the best teams in the world. I think that one mistake was maybe the one that killed me.

"The coaches have got people knocking on their door the whole time to play and I am currently in that position. The decision to knock me down from first to third I have queried a lot with the coaches. They just said the other lads deserved a chance.

"I think at the time [Ben] Youngs was second choice and [Richard Wigglesworth] Wiggy was third and I seemed to get shunted down to third, which I thought was harsh. I was in a very frustrating position not being able to help the team. I felt I could offer them something that they did not really have at the time."

Care, who has 51 caps for England, added: "I don't hold any grudges for not being picked. That won't blur my judgment in terms of my opinions of the squad and the environment. As players we are happy to help with any opinions and I am open to answer any questions they want to ask of me. We will have to see if they come knocking."