Ashton wings in for intriguing debut as Harlequins name team to face Sale
Chris Ashton is set to make his Harlequins debut versus former club Sale when the Gallagher Premiership resumes its 2019/20 season on Friday after a record 159-day layoff. It was March 2 when former England winger Ashton abruptly left Sale after what was described as a “difference of opinion” with director of rugby Steve Diamond.
After agreeing to terminate his contract early, Ashton was then quickly signed by Paul Gustard’s Quins but has yet to play for the London club due to the suspension of the season for the coronavirus pandemic.
However, he will now intriguingly get his chance to show what he can do in the Quins colours when lining out against his former club five months after his sudden departure.
Aside from Ashton’s debut, other notable Harlequins selections are Mike Brown and Nathan Earle who will return to matchday squad together for the time in 489 days.
Centre Joe Marchant also returns for the first time this year, having joined New Zealand Super Rugby side the Blues mid-season.
? Mike Brown & Nathan Earle return while Chris Ashton will make his debut on Friday night.
? Full team news for tomorrow night's game against Sale Sharks. #COYQ #HARvSAL
— Harlequins ? (@Harlequins) August 13, 2020
Off the bench Harlequins will unleash the first of the club’s summer signings, with scrum-half Scott Steele donning the No22 jersey. Having opted for a 6-2 split on the bench, Harlequins boss Gustard said: “We are delighted to be hosting the first match of the restarted Gallagher Premiership at The Stoop.
“It has been a long five months without the sport we love and we are delighted to have the privilege of kicking off the competition once more.
“It has been an unusual mid-season pre-season with limitations and moderations, but the time has also allowed us to regain a healthy squad, with injuries hampering our progress and continuity in the first half of the season.
“Sale are a dangerous team with a host of international players and they will always be a tough test. We respect them and are well aware of the humbling we took at the AJ Bell earlier in the campaign.
“We need to make sure we play with urgency and intent and deliver a performance our friends, family, fans and our club can be proud of. We can’t wait.”
HARLEQUINS (v Sale, Friday)
1 – Joe Marler (201 Harlequins appearances)
2 – Scott Baldwin (11)
3 – Simon Kerrod (20)
4 – Stephan Lewies (13)
5 – Matt Symons (41)
6 – James Chisholm (89)
7 – Chris Robshaw (292, captain)
8 – Alex Dombrandt (44)
9 – Martin Landajo (15)
10 – Marcus Smith (79)
11 – Nathan Earle (23)
12 – James Lang (59)
13 – Joe Marchant (85)
14 – Chris Ashton (0)
15 – Mike Brown (327)
Game Changers:
16 – Joe Gray (153)
17 – Santiago Garcia Botta (15)
18 – Will Collier (170)
19 – Dino Lamb (26)
20 – Tom Lawday (12)
21 – Will Evans (13)
22 – Scott Steele (0)
23 – Paul Lasike (22)
'As a black player, you get pigeon-holed. You’re either an athlete and you’ll get stuck on the wing or he’s big, let’s stick him in the second row' @Harlequins wing @natenate174 talks about gaining coaches' trust, his ACL, BLM & more, with @heagneyl ???https://t.co/qxaJxTQeXM
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 2, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
No Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
3 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
18 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
18 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
54 Go to comments