Plaudits for record-breaking ‘Ash Splash’

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Coach Steve Borthwick paid tribute to Chris Ashton after the Leicester wing ran in a hattrick to become the English Premiership’s all-time leading try-scorer on Saturday.

Ashton’s treble, the centrepiece of the Premiership leaders’ 56-26 victory at home to Bristol, gave him 95 tries in English rugby union’s top flight, surpassing the record he had shared before kickoff with Tom Varndell.

The 35-year-old dual-code international won the last of his 44 England caps in 2019, and Ashton feared his career might be over until Tigers boss Borthwick offered him a short-term contract in February following his release from Worcester.

Borthwick’s faith in Ashton has been vindicated in style, with the wing’s treble on Saturday coming inside the first 27 minutes of a match in which Leicester ran in eight tries in total to secure a home semi-final in the title-deciding play-offs.

“We all know what a quality player he is,” said former England captain Borthwick, 42, of Ashton. “What’s struck me most is that I played alongside him many years ago and you can’t tell very much difference.

“I’ve aged a lot and the way he goes about his daily business is pretty much the same – he’s competitive, he trains as hard as anybody, and that was always the way.”

Ashton added: “I had three months at home thinking that was it so I am very grateful to get the opportunity again. When Steve rang I said I would be here tomorrow and it was a very easy decision for me. I am grateful to him for giving me the opportunity to be back in again.

“My mum said to me the other day scoring is the only thing that makes me genuinely look happy. It was a bit more special today. I am glad to get it out of the way, it could have taken a lot longer.”

© Agence France-Presse

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Devin Hermanus