Toulon still hope to convince Ashton to remain in France
Return to England could earn him World Cup spot Club say family issues also a factor in decision
Mourad Boudjellal, the Toulon president, has revealed that he has not given up hope of persuading Chris Ashton to stay in France.
Answering questions in a Facebook live chat, Boudjellal hinted that “family problems” and the lure of the international stage had initially encouraged Ashton to seek a release from his three-year contract, but that the situation remained uncertain.
In his sole season in France, Ashton, 31, broke the Top 14 tryscoring record. He crossed the whitewash 24 times in 23 league matches, and then landed a hattrick for the Barbarians against England at Twickenham last month.
Having previously stated that he would “love to play for England again one day”, his performance caused a stir 15 months before the World Cup. However, with Eddie Jones, the England head coach, able to pick only players from the Premiership, except in the case of an extraordinary injury crisis, the former Saracen would have to return home to add to his 39 international caps.
“We hope that Chris Ashton will stay at Toulon,” said Boudjellal, whose club have secured the services of All Blacks wing Julian Savea for next season. “There have been a lot of twists on this issue. We are in discussions with him.
“At one point, he asked to leave the club. Then he asked to return to the club. We are in the midst of personal problems, so we are in discussion with him right now. There is no ultimatum. There are different issues – family problems and the problem of selection. We want him to stay. The ball is in his court.”
Pat Lam, the head coach of newly-promoted Bristol Bears, oversaw the Barbarians in their preparations to face England and was effusive in his praise of Ashton following the invitational side’s 63-45 victory. “If this guy [Ashton] wants to come home, there will always be a place with me,” he joked. “I will be waiting.”
Jonny May, Mike Brown, Elliot Daly and Denny Solomona were given game time on England’s tour of South Africa in the absence of Anthony Watson and Jack Nowell.