Exclusive: Axed Ashton: I don’t worry I’ll miss out on World Cup
ENGLAND wing Chris Ashton insists missing out on next year’s World Cup is not on his mind, despite being overlooked for a fourth Six Nations match in a row this weekend.
The 26-year-old has scored 18 tries in 37 Tests for England, but has not featured in Stuart Lancaster’s team since November and could see his hopes recede further if his rivals flourish in Sunday’s pivotal clash with Wales.
Newcomers Jack Nowell and Jonny May have recently been deployed in the Saracens star’s position, while Christian Wade and Marland Yarde are also vying for a place.
With that calibre of competition Ashton acknowledges his spot is among the most difficult to nail down, but is determined to return to the international fold before next year’s showpiece.
“I’m not worried about the World Cup,” he told City A.M. “It’s always difficult not being picked, this is probably the most difficult period of my career at the moment, but as the weeks go on you start to understand it.
“At first it was hard to take, you can’t understand the reasons. But it’s a good thing for the team.
“We’ve got a lot of young players with not much experience and with a World Cup coming up you need that experience of playing.
“Wing is up there as the most competitive of positions along with centre, but you’ve got to have competition across the whole squad.
“Stuart Lancaster stresses it’s not just the 23 that’s important, it’s the whole squad that needs to be involved, to understand what is trying to be achieved, because you never know when you will be called upon.
“He’s told me there’s a couple of things I need to work on. Defensively sometimes I’m vulnerable and it’s an important part of the game.”
With Saracens in the hunt for three trophies, Ashton is not short of big-game exposure to remind Lancaster of his credentials. Sarries travel to Aviva Premiership leaders Northampton in the LV= Cup semi-final tomorrow, then return to league action with a London derby against Harlequins at Wembley Stadium.
There is also a Heineken Cup quarter-final with Ulster on the horizon, a competition Ashton hopes will not soon disappear from the calendar with the English Premiership keen on forming a breakaway tournament.
“Hopefully that won’t happen,” he added. “It would be a shame to lose such a good competition and it would be a big loss for European rugby. The French teams, in particular, love it so hopefully it won’t come to that.”
Chris Ashton is representing the England team on behalf of Marriott Hotels, official partner of England Rugby. See how Marriott is reinventing travel at TravelBrilliantly.co.uk