Six Nations: Rap for two-try wing

On the one hand: Chris Ashton celebrates the first of his two tries against Wales, though he's likely to be in trouble from the boss for grandstanding Photograph: Getty Images

Ashton, 23, scored twice as England displayed their RBS 6 Nations title credentials with a 26-19 victory over Wales, their first in Cardiff since Johnson was captain in 2003.

The tournament is set up nicely for England now, with successive home fixtures against Italy, France and Scotland before a trip to Ireland on the last weekend.

But Ashton will be brought straight back down to earth when the video analysis begins in preparation for the Azzurri.

The Northampton wing risked Johnson's wrath by scoring his first try with an extravagant one-handed swallow dive, which could easily have resulted in him spilling the ball.

But Ashton guaranteed himself a dressing down by conceding a needless penalty just three minutes into the second half.

"I don't think Johnno's best pleased (with the celebration) and I'll get one of those rollockings," Ashton said.

"I did drop one once, for Northampton at Edinburgh in the Heineken Cup. It got knocked out my hand. I won't be doing that again.

"The penalty was just stupid. I thought we were under a bit of pressure but we weren't really. I tried to get through the ruck and just got my hand in the way.

"Mike Tindall came over and gave me a bit of a rollocking after it. I'm sure it will be picked up on Monday.

"If he (Johnson) needs to make a point and humiliate me then he will do it. I don't mind, I don't get embarrassed too easily."

Johnson admitted after England's record win against Australia in November that he gets more emotional after defeats than victories.

He is determined to drill home the message that England must continue striving for improvement, that shedding that Welsh monkey from their backs is no reason to get complacent.

"We have not won away from home for a while in the Six Nations so it's good, but if we play badly next week against Italy what would that feel like?" Johnson said.

"You don't get better by patting yourselves on the back too much. There are a few silly penalties we don't need to give away. That could have cost us. I'm not being ultra-critical, I am just being realistic about where we are.

"Our standards have got to be up there every time we play. People make mistakes in Test matches, it is how you bounce back from them.

"There are many varied types of rollockings. We are not going to shy away from saying 'You can't do that'."

However Johnson handles it, he will be doing so from a position of strength after an encouraging all-round performance in Cardiff.

England had won just four of their previous 16 away trips in the championship but dealt well with the fevered atmosphere under the closed Millennium Stadium roof.

They coped when Louis Deacon was in the sin-bin and punished Wales with Ashton's second try when Welsh prop Craig Mitchell was in the cooler.

Johnson knows England should have closed the game out having opened a 23-9 lead after 56 minutes, only for Wales to hit back to within four points.

But they found a way to win it in the end, when the old guard of Jonny Wilkinson, Steve Thompson, Simon Shaw and Joe Worsley were all on the field.

"There is a spirit there and a belief in this group and a pride in what they do. They want to do it well and win and we are getting there," Johnson said.

"It was an important game for us, a massive game. The great thing is we want to get over the line and close matches out."

Tom Palmer was exceptional in the second row and debutant flanker Tom Wood took to Test rugby like a duck to water.

Toby Flood, who grows in authority with every Test that passes, produced a faultless kicking display to score 13 points.

"We had to come here and win," Flood said. "That was the most important thing. To make a statement and prove we can win away from home in the Six Nations.

"We had not beaten Wales in Cardiff for a long time and this was a case of getting a monkey off our back and showing we are still progressing and improving as a team.

"The celebrations won't be long. We have Italy up next and we have to start preparing for that game straight away. We would love to win this tournament."