Josh Beaumont, Sam Hill, Alex Goode, Matt Kvesic – Eddie Jones’ first squad as England head coach contained some fine players that have not managed to establish themselves during his tenure, for one reason or another.
Delve into the internet archives and you will see the name of Chris Ashton, too, at the top of the backs list by virtue of alphabetical order. Back in January 2016, Jones seemed to be looking forward to working alongside him:
“He’s as mad as a cut snake. He plays with lots of energy, he’s emotional, he scores tries. He’s a real winner to me.”
The following weekend, Saracens beat Ulster 33-17. However, Ashton would receive a 10-week ban for making contact with the eyes of opponent...