Ashton hungry for WC spot

 

The discarded England wing had 84,068 witnesses as he gave Stuart Lancaster a World Cup nudge in helping Saracens prepare for Easter Sunday's European Rugby Champions Cup quarterfinal against top seeds Racing Metro '92 – by beating Harlequins 42-14.

 

A prolific try scorer, Ashton has rocketed up the European Cup try scoring rankings since quitting Northampton Saints and joining Saracens.

 

In three seasons with Saracens he has scored 19 tries in 23 games in the top tier of European competition.

 

Last season he set a record of 11 tries in a single season and now he is hot on the heels of the three men ahead of him in the European Cup try scoring stakes – Dafydd James (29), Brian O'Driscoll (36) and Vincent Clerc (37), with 27 in 40 games. 

 

He, for one, can't wait until Sunday's game comes around and he gets another chance to keep the Premiership side on course for a third successive European Cup semifinal.

 

Ashton is a player who scores tries when it matters most, as his five in the last four European quarter and semifinals proves.

 

"It will be the biggest game this year for me personally," said Ashton of Sunday's clash at Stade Yves du Manoir.

 

"My game revolves around the team, and if the team is going well and I can add something to it, I am happy.

 

"I hope I can replicate what I have been doing on the big occasion on Sunday – although we know we will have to step it up in Paris.

 

"We were good against Harlequins, but we got turned over a lot."

 

"Racing have a big pack and that will make it hard work. We played them a couple of years ago and they came at us in the first 40 minutes and ran all over us.

 

"We pulled the game back on penalties, but we know what to expect.

 

"They are a big, physical French team who come round the corner at you hard – they also have Johnny Sexton at flyhalf.

 

"Last season's disappointment in losing to Toulon in the final remains. We enjoy the tournament, want to get to the final again, and go one step further than last year."

 

Saracens won both games against Racing Metro two seasons ago – 30-13 at home and 37-28 on the other side of the channel.

 

But Racing are a different prospect these days, and are the only unbeaten team left in the tournament having won five and drawn one of their pool games.

 

But as well as Ashton's form, Saracens will also be buoyed by the return this week of hooker Schalk Brits.

 

The South African international has been out of action since he suffered a knee injury in Saracens' 30-23 Champions Cup victory against Clermont Auvergne in October.

 

"Schalk Brits should be available for selection for Paris," announced Director of Rugby Mark McCall after the victory at Wembley.

 

"We'll go there quite buoyant because we've won five games in a row and we're in good spirits.

 

"We've watched Racing closely in the last week, especially their game at Franklin's Gardens. They were tremendous that day. They've got superb inside backs and a big pack of forwards."