England captain Chris Robshaw is anxious that his players never get locked away from the public, despite the growing danger of becoming embroiled in unsavoury incidents.

Chris Ashton required hospital treatment on Saturday night after being glassed by a stranger while he was out with his girlfriend and Saracens team-mates.

Robshaw accepts sportsmen in the spotlight are ''more susceptible to these things'' but does not want that to alter the fabric of the game.

Harlequins players make a point of mixing with supporters in the bar after home matches and Robshaw spent yesterday coaching youngsters at Drybrook Rugby Club, Gloucestershire.

And he believes rugby as a sport would be worse off if the big name players became inaccessible to the public, as many footballers are.

"We are out there in the spotlight and unfortunately you do get good things and bad things," Robshaw said.

''Unfortunately, Chris was in an incident when he was out with his girlfriend and a couple of friends. We are more susceptible to these things so it's about finding the right balance.

''What people love about rugby is that they can still see you after a game having a drink with some mates, or going out for dinner. That's the beauty of the sport, that we are connected (with the public).

''As soon as you lose that touch and isolate the players, it wouldn't be great for the game.

''The amount of people who get pleasure from having the odd interaction with players from time to time, in the street or in a restaurant or in a pub, far outweighs the odd bad incident.

''I think that as rugby players we need to be seen and that's what people love about the sport. And players love that they can still go out and enjoy themselves.

''You don't want to be locked away at home and told you can't go out with your friends or your girlfriend, that you can't go to the theatre or wherever because someone might do something.''

Simon Shaw, the veteran England lock, made a similar plea during the Rugby World Cup when some of his younger team-mates were complaining about the attention they received on the streets.

When Stuart Lancaster first took charge of England after the World Cup, he wanted to rebuild the relationship between the national team and supporters.

Lancaster felt the England team that crashed out of the World Cup in the quarter-finals and misbehaved off the pitch had lost sight of who they represented and why they played rugby.

That theme has extended to the new England Test and Sevens kits, which are emblazoned with the phrase "EnglandConnected", reflecting the bond between players and supporters.

There have been suggestions that the England players were not allowed out as they would have wanted on the summer tour of South Africa.

''We have to be sensible about managing that,'' Robshaw said. ''I'm sure Stuart will look into it but it's all about doing it at the right time, in the right place.''

Robshaw paraded England's new Canterbury home kit yesterday, which features a return of the traditional navy socks for the first time since 2007.

The new change kit was modelled by England Women's captain Katy McLean, from South Shields , who also plays for Darlington Mowden Park.

The change is almost identical to the redcurrant kit Arsenal wore in the 2005-06 season to mark their final campaign at Highbury.

''The colour schemes are quite similar and being an Arsenal fan I don't really mind that. It's brilliant,'' Robshaw said.

England will wear the white kit against Fiji on November 7 and debut the change strip - officially dubbed "regal purple" - against Australia at Twickenham on November 17.

Canterbury have replaced Nike as England's kit supplier after they struck a four-year deal with the Rugby Football Union reportedly worth £20m.