Warrington Wolves speedster Matty Ashton has opened up on the lonely road to recovery from his ACL injury last year, admitting that earning an international recall for England’s World Cup campaign was his primary driving force during the darkest days of rehab.

Speaking to the press ahead of England’s second World Cup fixture against France, Ashton admitted that fighting his way back onto the field after missing out on the Ashes series was a massive mental test.

Reflecting on the gruelling solo sessions in the gym, Ashton revealed how staying connected with his rehab peers helped fuel his ambition to make the plane to Australia.

“Yeah, it’s a great feeling, mate,” Ashton said. “I think obviously coming back after my ACL, it was probably one of my number one goals to make this squad. It’s probably been in the back of my mind all year whilst playing at club level, and I’m really honoured and grateful to be part of the squad and be in Australia representing our country.

“When you’re on that bike and doing those really solo sessions in the gym and it’s grim and nobody else is with you… it’s the kind of chats you have with all your rehab crew. I had Albert Hopoate in mind and kept mentioning it to him that I’m hoping to be in Australia at the end of the year.”

Matty Ashton expecting physical French backlash in Wollongong

Having been named to start under Brian McDermott after watching the opening defeat to Tonga from the sidelines,Ashton is eager to bring his trademark pace to an expansive English backline featuring NRL stars like Herbie Farnworth and Dom Young.

While France suffered a heavy defeat in their opening game against Samoa, Ashton warned that Brian McDermott’s side are preparing for a completely different defensive challenge this weekend.

“They’re pretty exciting when they get the game on, so we’ll be expecting a tough challenge,” Ashton said. “I think we’ll expect a different France this week. They’ll probably look to get their defence a bit better than they were last week.

“I know they’ve got a big pack; the French have put it on you early on, so it’s going to be a challenge early, but it’s one I’m really looking forward to.”

Addressing comparisons between the domestic Super League game and the intense physical standards set in the southern hemisphere, the former Mullumbimby guest player insisted that England have the tools to match any opposition when they stick to their processes.

“I think we’ve got a standard we need to strive towards,” Ashton added. “Obviously, Australia set that standard, but I don’t think we’re too far behind. We’ve just got to keep trying to grow the game, stick to our basics, and execute our game plan this weekend.”

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