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Chris Ashton to join Toulon from Saracens

England winger Chris Ashton will join Toulon from European and Premiership champions Saracens next season on a three-year contract.

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England winger Chris Ashton will join Toulon from European and Premiership champions Saracens next season on a three-year contract.

Ashton's international career appears to be over after the 29-year-old opted to make the switch to the Top 14 on a deal which will run until 2020.

The prolific Ashton is currently serving a 13-week ban for biting Northampton Saints prop Alex Waller and will not be available to return until next month.

Rugby league convert Ashton, who was also suspended for 10 weeks this year for making contact with the eyes of Ulster's Luke Marshall, vowed to regain his place in the Sarries and England team after his latest indiscretion.

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The prolific flyer's chances of representing his country again would appear to be remote, though, given the Rugby Football Union's policy of not selecting overseas players.

Ashton is set to link up with compatriot Mike Ford, who replaced Diego Dominguez as head coach of three-time European champions Toulon on Monday.

The former Wigan Warriors man is in his fifth season with Sarries since his arrival from Northampton Saints and has become the club's leading try scorer, winning two Premiership titles and a first European Champions Cup for the London club back in May.

Ashton, who won the last of his 39 England caps in June 2014, said:  "I'd like to put on record my thanks to Mark McCall, Nigel Wray and the whole team at Saracens for the manner in which they have dealt with my request to join Toulon next season. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Allianz Park and I have made so many special memories on and off the field.

"I have developed as a player during my time with Sarries but more importantly I have developed as a person, and I will always be indebted to the club for that.

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"There is a tremendous culture at Saracens and the bond between everyone here is very tight. It will be a real wrench for me to leave all that behind at the end of the season but I'm looking forward to a new challenge at Toulon next year.

"My focus now is helping the squad prepare for Leicester Tigers on Saturday, contribute to the side when I return to action later this year and hopefully make a few more memories together in a black and red shirt."

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