Ashton still harbours hopes of a cap recall

Chris ashton has refused to give up hope of an England recall, despite his latest lengthy suspension curtailing any slim chances of November Test action.

The Saracens wing was last week banned for 13 weeks by the Rugby Football Union for biting Northampton’s Alex Waller.

The 29-year-old continues to maintain his innocence, but will not contest the matter further.

Ashton won the last of his 39 caps in June 2014, and missed any opportunity for a Six Nations recall earlier this year due to a ten week ban for making contact with the eye of Ulster centre Luke Marshall in January.

“My clear ambition is first to regain my place in the Saracens team and then to regain my place in the England side,” said Ashton, who is free to play again on 19 December.

“It may seem a long journey back from the despair of last week’s judgment but I will do everything in my power to get back to where, in my heart, I feel I belong.”

Ashton was hit with two charges of biting Waller in Saracens’ 24-12 Premiership victory over Northampton on 17 September.

The winger was found guilty of one of those two charges at an RFU hearing last Tuesday, with Saracens opting not to appeal the ruling.

England coach Eddie Jones has cooled his interest in the Saracens flyer, who could find it a tall order to complete another Test-level comeback.

“It would be an understatement to say I was disappointed last week to be handed a 13-week ban by the RFU, my second significant ban of 2016,” Ashton told Saracens’ official website. “I told the disciplinary panel that I did not bite the Northampton prop, just as I had told the panel in January that I did not make contact with the eyes of the Ulster centre.

“Both panels chose to accept the opposing version of events. I did not agree with either verdict but I must and do accept the sanctions.

“There is no place for biting or gouging in rugby, and World Rugby are 100 per cent correct in seeking to eradicate these actions.”