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Gallagher PremiershipSale

Chris Ashton makes shock mid-season exit from Sale Sharks with 'immediate effect'

England wing Chris Ashton (Getty Images)

Chris Ashton and Sale Sharks are to sensationally part company mid-season.

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A statement from the club reads.

“Sale Sharks can today announce that Chris Ashton will leave the club with immediate effect.

“The club and Chris have reached a mutual agreement regarding the termination of his Sale Sharks contract and he will leave the club immediately.

“Sale Sharks would like to thank Chris for his efforts whilst at the club and wish him and his family all the best for the future.”

Ashton signed for Sale Sharks in 2018.

Born in Wigan, Chris made 72 appearances for the Warriors in Super League, amassing 120 points, between 2005 and 2007. He also represented England RL four times, scoring three tries.

He moved to the 15-man code with Northampton Saints in 2007, initially spending a season in National One before sampling Premiership Rugby. His overall tally with the Saints saw him score 467 points in 110 games.

In 2012, he transferred to Saracens, with his 230 points from 105 games being a major contribution to the success of the North London club.

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After playing a season in France with Toulon, adding another 115 points to his personal tally, Ashton returned to his native country. He has 19 tries to his name from his 39 England caps.

WATCH: England winger Chris Ashton has compared his previous England experiences to that of working under Eddie Jones and explains why it’s “very different feel”.

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Comments on RugbyPass

P
PO 11 minutes ago
How Ireland rose from the dead at the Six Nations

Then why didi he ignore McCloskey for years until the injury to Henshaw and Aki’s suspension left him with no choice?

142 Go to comments
H
Hammer Head 40 minutes ago
What The Rugby Championship needs to do to rival the Six Nations

If we’re not changing rules we’re changing competitions.

51 Go to comments
H
Hammer Head 40 minutes ago
What The Rugby Championship needs to do to rival the Six Nations

I thought you would

51 Go to comments
P
Philip 41 minutes ago
Should England stick or twist with Borthwick? RWC27 clock cannot be used as an excuse

a lot of what you say makes sense but whilst his approach worked at the last world cup his strategies and his tactics have been found out and I don’t think he has the capacity to adapt. Wigglesworth shouldn’t be anywhere near that team for sure. I don’t want England to be a poor man’s South Africa or France for that matter. I want them to be England with an identity supporters can relate to. I don’t think SB really has a clear idea of what that is other than some version of Leicester Tigers. Whether or not the coaches have “lost” the dressing room is up for debate albeit unknowable, but they have lost many of the supporters I think

The 6 Nations is one of the highlights of the year for me but when I think about 2027 I am depressed already. The thought of another season or more with SB in charge fills me with gloom and for me and I think many others, until he either goes or is let go nothing will change



...

71 Go to comments
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Hammer Head 41 minutes ago
Johann Ackermann's Bulls gore Cardiff in Pretoria

Things starting to come together nicely for the bulls. Ackerman will take them far.

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unknown 1 hour ago
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Tom 1 hour ago
Should England stick or twist with Borthwick? RWC27 clock cannot be used as an excuse

In Borthwick's defence, he's trying to build a team to win a WC. He's obviously looked at a lot of stats which have told him WC matches are low scoring, defense dominated affairs. So he's been trying to build a team which circumvents defence by through a variety of kicks, with a strong set piece etc so you won't see England playing like Bristol for sure. I do understand the logic. A good tactical kicking game, strong set piece and good defence are probably the most important factors of winning a world cup final, hence England nearly reached a WC final doing nothing but kicking which reinforced Borthwick’s belief he was on the right track. After all SA have won the last two world cups mostly from set piece dominance.

There are issues with it though.



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71 Go to comments
J
JD Kiwi 1 hour ago
Ben Kay: 'I’d put my money on Ollie Chessum being the next England captain.'

Do you exist in some alternative reality? I've lived in England and am a member of British forums. I know what I'm talking about. As for deriding our Saffer friends on here, that's low.

And you didn't say you agreed with them. The closest you said is they can do what they want.



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38 Go to comments
S
SteveD 1 hour ago
Billionaire Sir James Dyson buys 50% stake in Bath Rugby

“So what? How many business do this, why are you so bothered about it.”

And they’re a bunch of thieves too. So who the f*ck are you - Dyson’s PR manager?



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6 Go to comments
J
JD Kiwi 2 hours ago
Ben Kay: 'I’d put my money on Ollie Chessum being the next England captain.'

Man, you have no insight at all. Telling someone they're an inferior version of another player is an insult as old as the hills.

That sort of classless trash talk is the opposite of respectful and proved an incredibly stupid thing to do long term. Inspired the All Blacks to their best performance for years when it really matters, with Cane doing his talking with his rugby not a gutter mouth. Yet another quarter final exit and you haven't beaten us since.



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38 Go to comments
R
Rick Clark 2 hours ago
Bye bye Chiefs, thanks for coming

How many games does Dmac need to get back to his best a veteran AB should be better than this. Totally outclassed by the Aussies, Shame!

At least they will shake the choker label perhaps the perennial runners up team are the has beens that couldn’t now.



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B
BC1812 2 hours ago
John Mitchell: 'I think we are the standard bearers'

This will be the difficult part. He inherited a pretty good side. Now possibly half the team will need to be replaced by the next WC. It’s managing that and improving the team at the same time that will not be easy.

1 Go to comments
P
Philip 3 hours ago
Should England stick or twist with Borthwick? RWC27 clock cannot be used as an excuse

SB won one premiership playing his brand of Rugby but then the other teams found them out, fronted up physically and Tigers game plan was exposed. Under Parling they are a much more attractive version of the Tigers. When the current coaching team were appointed my heart sank because they are inexperienced at test level, they bring nothing fresh and the approach they bring is inflexible. They are completely out of their depth (Blackett apart) I agree what on earth is Wigglesworth doing coaching defence? Think the results speak for themselves. Some of their selections have been unfathomable and lacking imagination. Freeman is not a 13 at the highest level. He is a world class winger. Steward same; just not the same standard as Ramos, Kinghorn and Keenan (when he is fit).Furbank has to come into the equation. Marcus is a 10 not a 15 but he needs a strong 12 to play around. It is way too soon for Pollock to be in the side and he is increasingly a distraction. We need a proper 8 as well. Last night I watched Lawrence, Ojomoh et al take a good Saracens side apart. Why can’t England play like Bath Bristol and Northampton? The answer is because SB doesn’t believe in that style or maybe doesn’t understand how to implement it. The time for change is now not after the RWC. Most England fans would forgive getting beaten in South Africa and Argentina over the summer if there was a new regime in place and signs of change. Fans pay well over the odds to watch England play boring ineffective rugby. I can’t see it happening, but boycotting home games is probably the only message the RFU would understand. The list of names available all represent an improvement. I would also add Rob Baxter; not a fan of Exeter but he always speaks a lot of sense. All said, it’s depressing to think that we are saddled not only with a poor coaching team, but also with the RFU none of whom should be allowed anywhere near the national team(s). Sweeny et al are the real culprits in all of this.

71 Go to comments
D
DC 3 hours ago
'I wouldn’t have become an All Black if I stayed in Southland'

well we will never know the answer to that as you left southland before you became an allblack

6 Go to comments
A
A Lee 3 hours ago
Billionaire Sir James Dyson buys 50% stake in Bath Rugby

So what? How many business do this, why are you so bothered about it. Britain has become hostile to business and innovation. Brexit has everything to do with it pal, yet I bet you did not bat an eyelid while our own industries were shut down and shipped to Europe. He is Putting his own money in a great club, it will bring in new interest and improvements.

Half the prem league are owned by billionaires from nation whose human rights records are shocking. Selective outrage



...

6 Go to comments
J
JW 4 hours ago
What The Rugby Championship needs to do to rival the Six Nations

NZ can have two teams in the TRC? I’m really liking that idea HH!

51 Go to comments
E
Ed the Duck 4 hours ago
Ben Kay: 'I’d put my money on Ollie Chessum being the next England captain.'

Did POM misrepresent the Irish fans when he said they were arrogant Eric?

38 Go to comments
A
AEC42 4 hours ago
England the only team not represented in official Six Nations team of the Championship

I agree Ntamack is a wonderful player and is injury prone. It will be fantastic if he keeps well in future, but if he doesn’t, Dupont still plays best with a compatible scrum half, so at the moment, if Ntamack is unavailable, that means Ramos. Hopefully we’ll see Dupont, Ntamack and Ramos all playing together soon in the Champions Cup.

69 Go to comments
J
JW 4 hours ago
What The Rugby Championship needs to do to rival the Six Nations

Haha lame comeback Bressie :p

That consistency that I’m talking about though is key. If the ref doesn’t give South Africa that last game and the Wallabies had one more trick to pull out of their sleeve in the first Bled after playing SA, then it’s a three game all TRC and near on perfect.



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51 Go to comments
W
Wayne Godfrey 4 hours ago
Billionaire Sir James Dyson buys 50% stake in Bath Rugby

All well and good but he originally had a grant to set up dyson in Wiltshire I believe,he farmed out production as costs are lower in far east,why? No minimum wage,no workers rights,trade unions not recognised.Brexit has nothing to do with it.

6 Go to comments
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