Despite pretty much all the evidence suggesting that there's no chance Chris Ashton still believes he can win his England place back. The Saracens winger is currently serving a ban after biting an opposition player but he still has designs on Eddie Jones squad.
At the beginning of the year Ashton looked certain to make Jones' first squad as England head coach. The Sarries winger's form for his club looked certain to get him a place for the Six Nations. Then disaster struck and he was cruelly suspended for 10 weeks for an eye gouge that looked accidental at worst.
When he came back from that suspension he carried on his great form only to find he wasn't wanted for the summer tour to Australia. After refusing a place on the Saxon's tour in the summer his national career looked over. Then came his 13 week ban for biting Northampton's Alex Waller.
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However to most people that didn't matter as Ashton was seemingly so far from Eddie Jones' thoughts already there was no chance. However the winger doesn't think that's the case and is aiming to make a return to the national set up. Talking about the possibility Ashton said:
"My clear ambition is first to regain my place in the Saracens team and then to regain my place in the England side.
"It may seem a long journey back from the despair of last week's judgement but I will do everything in my power to get back to where, in my heart, I feel I belong."
The rugby league convert's ban puts him out of the autumn internationals so he would have to wait for the Six Nations to get a place in the England squad back. The problem is that it looks unlikely with Eddie Jones in charge.
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Jones prefers Anthony Watson, Jack Nowell and Jonny May as his first choices wingers to Ashton whilst Marland Yarde and Semesa Rokoduguni are also ahead of the Saracens man in the pecking order.
Despite not being in his national manager's thoughts the 29 year old former Northampton man could still make the Lions tour to New Zealand this summer.
(Via Belfast Telegraph)
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