ASHTON’S SALE AIM
SHARKS ACE OUT TO TAKE SIDE TO TOP
CHRIS Ashton admits Sale Sharks weren’t even on his radar as he grew up as a rugby league-mad kid.
But the England winger says he is now fully focused on making the club the best in the land after helping to spearhead a revival at the AJ Bell Stadium.
The 31-year-old former Wigan Warriors star returned to his native north west at the start for this season following a spell in France.
And so far he has been a big hit. As well as winning back his England place, he has quickly gelled into a Sharks side which has sprung up the Premiership table and is battling for a place in the top four.
But Ashton has revealed that while growing up, he had no interest in Sale.
“I was always a rugby league boy,” he said. “I had absolutely no idea about rugby union!
“I still watch rugby league every week when it’s on.
“I’m still a massive fan of it. But there’s too much in front of me that I need to focus on for me to be thinking about rugby league.
“I’d like to be part of the project at Sale and get them back up to the top of the league again.
“That’s the aim for me, and that’s the aim for [director of rugby] Steve Diamond and the owners as well. That’s what we’re all buying into.”
Ashton admits he thought his England career was over after deciding to move to Toulon. But after one season in France, he decided to return – and now hasn’t looked back as he was picked in Eddie Jones’ squad for the autumn Internationals and is due to be involved in the Six Nations. “Deep down I always knew that I was kidding myself,” he said. “When I did get the chance to go back to England, it made me realise the reasons why I so desperately wanted to be there in the first place.
“I’ve been away (from the north west) 11 years and I’ve got a young family so it’s nice to be near my family and being able to spend time with brothers, sisters and my mum.
“I can just pop round and see them, which is something that I’ve been without for a long time.
“I do think maybe my time had gone with England, although as a player I thought I could still be there.
“I thought circumstances had taken the opportunity away from me.
“But being in France, I probably went back to being a little bit younger in my thinking again. The way that Toulon played rugby and some of the plays that I got to be a part of were an amazing experience for me.”