Chris Ashton considering Premiership return to reignite England hopes as Toulon sign All Blacks wing Julian Savea
Wing is contract to Toulon until 2020 but could attempt to resume his England career with Sale Sharks interested in signing him this summer
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Your support makes all the difference.Former England Rugby wing Chris Ashton is considering a return to the Premiership in a bid to resurrect his international career ahead of the 2019 Rugby World Cup, after New Zealand wing Julian Savea announced his move to Toulon as his potential replacement.
Savea will arrive on the south coast in France later in the year once his commitments with Super Rugby side the Wellington Hurricanes come to an end, having been exiled from the All Blacks squad by head coach Steve Hansen.
But rather than join last season’s Top 14 leading try-scorer in Ashton, the 27-year-old may well touch down in France to join a squad that has already sold the former Saracens wing after just one year with the club.
It’s understood that a return to Saracens is not on the cards, given that the recently-crowned Premiership champions have already agreed to re-sign Ashton’s former partner-in-crime David Strettle from Clermont Auvergne and rising star Alex Lewington from relegated London Irish. Had Ashton become available earlier in the season, Saracens’ plans could well have been different after allowing Ashton to leave in 2017 having scored 48 tries in 105 appearances – as well as 19 tries in 39 England caps.
Sale Sharks are interested in moving for Ashton if a deal can be reached with Toulon, and despite initial reluctance from owner Mourad Boudjellal to allow the prize asset to leave just 12 months into a three-year deal, the acquisition of Savea looks to be an easing of that approach.
That said, Toulon have already lost star centre Semi Radradra to Top 14 rivals Bordeaux Begles over the summer, and Fiji wing Josua Tuisova’s future is far from clear too with Lyon attempting to spring him from his contract at the Stade Felix Mayol.
The only guarantee at present is that Toulon will be inheriting one of the most lethal finishes in New Zealand rugby history, with Savea’s 46 tries in 54 Tests putting him up there with the best try-scoring ratios in the international game and second only to Doug Howlett’s overall tally of 49.
"It's been an absolute pleasure New Zealand, thank you for everything @Hurricanesrugby @AllBlacks & @WgtnRugby,” Savea said on Twitter. “I've absolutely loved playing for my country for the past decade. Looking forward to this new adventure & joining @RCTofficiel in a few months #AuRevoir.”
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