Sunday 22 January 2017 23:00, UK
Chris Ashton says a combination of his England exile and treatment by the rugby authorities compelled him to swap Saracens for Toulon.
Ashton scored the only try of the afternoon against the French club he is joining in June as Mark McCall's holders booked a home Champions Cup quarter-final by prevailing 10-3 at Allianz Park on Saturday.
It was his fourth try in three starts since completing a 13-week suspension for biting, his second lengthy ban of 2016.
Ashton feels he has suffered unfairly at the hands of the disciplinary process and also cites his fall from favour with England as a driving force behind his £420,000-a-year move to the Cote D'Azur that means he is no longer eligible for international selection.
Eddie Jones picked him in his first Six Nations squad but he was removed after being banned for making contact with the eye area of Ulster's Luke Marshall and has been omitted ever since.
"I was sick of leaving my international career in other people's hands," said Ashton, speaking for the first time since his serving his most recent suspension.
"The decision is always made by a coach and like any player who does not get in I disagreed with that decision.
"I hope I will play again one day, but for the time being I chose to go to play rugby abroad. I will never give up hope, but it makes it harder moving abroad.
"Saracens would rather I stayed, but they are very understanding people. They understand my motives for wanting to leave.
"You look at it from both sides and they understand my situation with England and how I felt towards being banned again."
