I was sick of leaving my international career in other people's hands - Chris Ashton
Chris Ashton's try was his fourth in three starts since completing a 13-week suspension for biting
©PA
Saracens wing Chris Ashton revealed that his exclusion from the England side and the treatment he received from rugby authorities were the reasons for his switch to Toulon at the end of the season.
The 29-year-old has scored 19 tries from 39 Tests for England but has never appeared for the red rose team ever since Eddie Jones took over as head coach following the 2015 World Cup debacle with his last appearance coming in June 2014.
Ashton has scored four tries in his last three games for Saracens ever since he returned from a 13-week ban for involving in a biting incident with Northampton prop Alex Waller. He has been instrumental in the double champions booking a home quarter-final berth in the ongoing European Champions Cup tournament.
His move to Toulon at the end of the ongoing season will pretty much end his hope of appearing for England again and Ashton expressed his frustration on how he was handled.
"I was sick of leaving my international career in other people's hands," said Ashton, speaking for the first time since his serving his most recent suspension.
"The decision is always made by a coach and like any player who does not get in I disagreed with that decision.
"I hope I will play again one day, but for the time being I chose to go to play rugby abroad. I will never give up hope, but it makes it harder moving abroad.
"Saracens would rather I stayed, but they are very understanding people. They understand my motives for wanting to leave.
"You look at it from both sides and they understand my situation with England and how I felt towards being banned again."
In the final game of Pool 3 between Saracens and Toulon, it was Ashton's try in the 60th minute that proved decisive as the Allianz Park outfit managed to edge the Top 14 team with a 10-3 win.
Asked on how he felt playing against the team he will be featuring next, Ashton said: "I tried not think about the fact I was playing Toulon. We were at home in a big game and I tried to concentrate on that," Ashton said.
"It is different moving to a club that is in France because they are not a team I face year on year.
"It ended up with me scoring the decisive try - the opportunity came up and I was in the right place at the right time.
"It was a scrappy game, it was always going to be like that, very physical. How we kept their centres contained and did not let them score a try I have no idea.
"The team were outstanding. While we were disappointed at some of the opportunities we did not take, we are happy to get the win."
