After a two-try debut for his new club on the season’s opening day it appeared that Ashton had not taken long to settle into his new surroundings.

But despite not crossing the whitewash in his last three games for Saracens the former rugby league star insists he is a better player now for the move.

“It is just like changing jobs,” he said.

“You’ve got to start again, make new relationships, impress the boss. You do get comfortable otherwise, you do get stuck in your ways, you know what you can get away with.

“But if you put yourself in a different environment you don’t know. I needed that kick up the backside. It was a shock to the system, you have to try harder, keep challenging yourself all the time.

“This autumn is going to give us a good idea of where we are at as a team.

“There comes a point we do need to start winning, we do need to take a step forward. We can’t keep making the excuse that we are inexperienced.”