Ashton eager to make amends

After beginning 2011 as the poster boy of the English game, Ashton fell out of favour with the fans following a series of public relations blunders towards the end of the year.

The Northampton winger attracted fierce criticism for his off-field antics during England's shambolic World Cup campaign in New Zealand.

Then, with some players accused of cashing in on their status and the nation questioning the team's passion and commitment, Ashton released an ill- judged diary of his World Cup year.

He was later handed a ban for pulling Alesana Tuilagi by the hair and his appearance on Soccer AM focused more on the "dwarf-throwing" incident in New Zealand and his disciplinary issues than his try-scoring ability.

The 24-year-old has also been accused of arrogance, stemming largely from his trademark swallow dive, and that, he says, hurts.

Disappointed

But Ashton, who admits that the last six months have left him bruised, is determined to prove the doubters wrong, beginning with England's Six Nations curtain raiser against Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday.

"I am disappointed in the way I've been perceived. I have taken a lot of stick. With the dive and the book, maybe it came across to people that I'm just trying to make money out of everything that's moving. That was not my intention."
Chris Ashton Quotes of the week

"I am disappointed in the way I've been perceived," he said. "I have taken a lot of stick.

"With the dive and the book, maybe it came across to people that I'm just trying to make money out of everything that's moving. That was not my intention.

"There are a lot of things (I would have done differently). The big thing for me is people's perception of me now.

"That's what I would try to change, definitely. At the time it's hard because you don't think you're doing anything.

"The dive was just something I did to celebrate scoring a try, it wasn't something where I thought 'I'll do this to make some money out of it'. I do look at it now and I realise there is a time and a place for it.

"Sometimes in the World Cup I got carried away with the moment. We weren't playing too well and it probably wasn't the best time to be doing it, I agree with that.

Motivation

"But for people to say to me, 'it's all about ego' - I'm part of this team and I want it to do well.

"I can make amends for some of it and that is a motivation for me, going into this first game of the Six Nations.

"It's not just me, it's the whole thing. For the minute, England has been downgraded and as a team we have to change that.

"We have that opportunity and personally, for some people, you can change people's mindset as well."

Earlier this month Ashton announced he would be leaving Northampton for Saracens, which led to a training ground disagreement with Saints boss Jim Mallinder.

But he insists that the decision to turn his back on the club that brought him across from rugby league to join one of the Aviva Premiership's richest clubs was not motivated by money.

Ashton, who was dropped by Northampton after announcing the move, said he wanted to explore his options away from the club after returning from the World Cup.

Shame

"I'm sure that's what Northampton think, but it's not that at all," Ashton said. "It wasn't about money. Moving in England, there isn't going to be much change (financially) between the clubs.

"It's only a short career and I don't see why if there's a chance there, to go and try something new.

"There was a conversation between me and Jim. Every week he says we should talk to him if we've got any issues and that's exactly what I did.

"I didn't quite understand why I wasn't playing, they tried to explain that to me."

Having missed the Munster Heineken Cup game, Ashton does not know whether he will play again for Northampton.

"I really hope so, it would be a real shame not to finish well for Northampton," he said. "Whatever I've managed to achieve, I owe most of it to them but I felt that maybe it was the right time to have a change and try something new.

"I'd like to think that I'm a jolly and upbeat person, but to be made to seem arrogant and not care about your club, that's nowhere near where I want to be.

"I just want to play rugby and play well for the team I'm playing for. It's always been my aim and still is."