1
World Cup envy spurs Chris Ashton's desire for England recall
Sale winger Chris Ashton watched on with envy and a hint of regret as England went all the way to the final of the World Cup in Japan and reveals he would love a recall to Eddie Jones’ team.
ADVERTISEMENT
The former Saracens and Northampton man scored 20 tries in 44 appearances for England in two spells from 2010-19 but withdrew from Jones’ World Cup squad for family reasons.
Now he says he would welcome the chance to make another comeback for the 2020 Six Nations after admitting he still feels unfulfilled at international level.
The Season: Hamilton Boys High School – Episode 2
“When I first got in, I planned to be there for a while,” Ashton said. “I’ve got 44 caps and I hoped for a lot more.”
Ashton had effectively called time on his international career in 2016 by moving to Toulon but, after ticking that box, he returned from France two years later and earned an England recall after scoring a hat-trick of tries against them for the Barbarians.
Lifting the lid on his dramatic decision to snub the World Cup, Ashton says he was not prepared to act as back-up to wing regulars Jonny May and Jack Nowell.
“I did struggle being away from my family at the time but I didn’t mind because I wanted to play for England again,” he said.
ADVERTISEMENT
Jonny May remains the only one of Leicester's England World Cup contingent yet to feature for the Tigers since returning from Japanhttps://t.co/l2LE1nTYv8
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 22, 2019
“The day before we were due to meet up. I couldn’t make my mind up. Then my wife got pregnant so that was it. She was due around the time of the World Cup final.
“But if I had been Jonny May, it would have been a very different scenario. My phone call with Eddie was, ‘Jack (Nowell) is injured, you’re in.’. If I’d been Jonny, I’d have to have gone.
“The warm-up games were fine obviously but when the tournament kicked off, I thought I probably should have gone, although that’s easy in hindsight.
“Sitting at home on the sofa, with the family watching it on TV, it’s easy to think like that.
ADVERTISEMENT
“If Eddie rang I would definitely love to play again. But I’ll be 33 in March so we will see.”
Ashton claims he is still the fastest man at Sale and he is hoping to add to his Heineken Champions Cup record haul of 39 tries when the Sharks host La Rochelle on Sunday.
Beaten in their opening fixture at Glasgow, they are boosted by the return of World Cup finalists Faf De Klerk and Tom Curry and Ashton says that has already given the team a lift.
“Faf is so critical to any team that he is in, especially here because a lot of what is happening at Sale and how we are starting to roll along has been driven by him,” he said.
“So for him to come back – and Tom developing the way he is – you could notice the complete difference in training the last couple of days.
“There is so much energy from the pair of them and now a lot of experience in them both.
“Teams I watched last weekend were lifted by their players coming back from the World Cup and I expect them to do the same this weekend.”
– Press Association
In other news:
Comments on RugbyPass
Absolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
5 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
14 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
14 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
5 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to comments