Chris Ashton lauded as ‘best try-scorer Europe has ever seen’
Chris Ashton was hailed as the “best try-scorer that Europe has ever seen” after becoming the first player to reach 100 tries in the Premiership.
Ashton took his tally in the competition to 101 with a hat-trick in Leicester’s 62-19 hammering of 14-man Exeter as the Chiefs’ hopes of securing a play-off spot were blown away in an action-packed game at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.
The 36-year-old winger has been a prolific scorer for a host of clubs in England and France since starting his career in rugby league with Wigan and Leicester head coach Richard Wigglesworth believes the ability he possesses is unrivalled.
Wigglesworth said of the former England international: “I’m delighted for him as he is the best try-scorer that Europe and the Premiership has ever seen.”
Ashton was thrilled to write his name into the history books but admitted he does not expect his tally to be untouchable.
The 36-year-old, who counts the likes of Northampton, Saracens, Toulon and Sale among his old sides, said: “I’m playing in a great team and the boys were right behind me today as they wanted me to get the record.
“I am the first to reach the milestone of a hundred tries and I will be remembered for that although I’m sure many people will go past it.
“When I was a kid I looked up to the try-scoring exploits of Shaun Edwards and Martin Offiah and if I can be judged to be only close to that bracket, I will be chuffed.”
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"I've never seen a player in union quite with the relentless appetite to get on the end."
? @henry_arundell and @ugomonye praise Chris Ashton after he surpassed 100 #GallagherPrem tries. pic.twitter.com/eAEoLtztFe
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) April 17, 2023
Sunday’s clash was fairly evenly matched until Exeter wing Olly Woodburn was sent off just after half-time for preventing a try for Ashton, with the Tigers leading 22-12 at the time.
That dismissal ended the game as a contest with Leicester taking full advantage to claim an emphatic nine-try victory that moves them to within two points of second-placed Sale in the table.
Along with Ashton’s hat-trick heroics, Matt Scott (two), Dan Kelly, Jack van Poortvliet and George Martin also scored tries for the hosts, along with the controversial penalty try which was awarded in the incident that saw Woodburn dismissed.
Wigglesworth, whose team celebrated a sixth successive league win, added: “We try to keep on winning and it’s rewarding when people were only too keen to write it off when we lost three in a row.
Rugby has given me some of the most incredible memories but the last week will live with me forever. Thank you for all of the kind messages and support, it’s been overwhelming – and a bit strange! Hopefully we can end the season on a high for everyone @LeicesterTigers
— Chris Ashton (@ChrisAshton1) April 17, 2023
“I wasn’t happy about our first-half effort as I thought we were only playing at around 70 per cent but then they were certainly hamstrung by the red card and we went about our business efficiently.”
Sam Simmonds, Stuart Hogg and Rus Tuima responded with tries for Exeter but it was not enough to prevent the Chiefs from extending a winless away run in the league which stretches back to October.
Exeter head coach Rob Baxter said: “I think the circumstances contrived against Olly (Woodburn) in respect of the sending off. The first yellow card for a deliberate knock-on was clearly correct but for the second, it was the only thing he could have done to prevent a try.
“If the try had been awarded then nobody would have looked at it but as it wasn’t the TMO went through the process and adjudged that by diving on top of the player on the ground, he was forced into touch.
“There was therefore an act of foul play which then results in a penalty try and the issue of another yellow card.
“After conceding a couple of early tries, I thought we were the better team in terms of territory and possession and were unlucky to go in at half-time behind.
“Every little basic error we made today hurt us and seemed to be magnified and I’m a little concerned at how the game ran away from us.”
Exeter’s loss leaves them seventh in the Premiership table with 43 points, 10 adrift of fourth-placed Northampton.
Baxter added: “After a few weeks of highs it was a reality check ahead of next week’s home game with Bristol when a lot of our players will be making their final appearances at Sandy Park.
“Our play-off chances are obviously gone but we caused problems about our qualification long before today as we have been incredibly inconsistent away from home.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The author is 100% right. The Springboks know that they don't have near the natural attraction, mana, skill and mystic the All Blacks have. So, Chasing the sun 1 & 2 was concocted to overblow the Boks image on the back of a corruptly obtained “win". It's marketing ploy to force the Boks delusion as the World's Best. I guess World Rugby is also not to be believed when it came out with an apology about how the final was officiated. And if the 2023 final such a superb game by the Boks, then the Boks crying about Referee Bryce Lawrence for decades is also deserves a laugh. Chase the sun and get burned like a moth. A very well written literary piece that tore the Boks and Chasing the sun farce to shreds. 🖤All Blacks🏉
141 Go to commentsI’d say France was far more hard done by in the 2011 final than the All Blacks in this game. Joubert simply refused to call a penalty against the All Blacks in the last quarter even directing an All Black to drop a ball he picked up in an offside position rather than penalizing him. This article also totally discounts the efforts of PSTD. Ask Jordie how well he played. Or the backup flank who played hooker for the entire game. Siya was also a brilliant tackle by Richie from scoring a blinder. Pollard was also fantastic. Look I don’t like the boks style but the only thing more questionable than the content of this article is the timing of it. Get over it already
141 Go to commentsDad Marty was also a handy rugby player for Linwood back in the day. Great bloke. Sensational softball career.
2 Go to commentsWhat ifs are always dangerous. If you look at the game before Sam cane got sent of SA was dominating. You could make the argument the going down to 14 men rallied the troops and made them have to play to win which is always dangerous.
141 Go to commentsOmg… you are bruised And battered Benny. Stop crying … the scoreboard speaks. What a pathetic lover you are.. 🤣🤣🤣
141 Go to commentsPacific Lions, cry me a river
141 Go to commentsThis is the single worst piece of journalism I have ever seen since your last one. As a neutral, who really states that there should be an asterisk next to a win? You are an utter embarrassment to real AB fans, journalism and that joke of a house which pays you for this nonsense. Get a life, Ben.
141 Go to commentsGuys. Cancel the World Cup champions after this analysis. It changes everything. Ben knows. We’ll have to unengrave the Bokke off the trophy and hand it to the ABs, now that I’ve been enlightened about this illegitimate win. This needs to be done. Now!
141 Go to commentsBen is right here though, Springboks were woefully poor with the advantage they had throughout this game. The France match was heroic because that was an even contest this match had it taken place in Rugby Championship would have been an easy win for NZ. If anything this match should tell the Bok coaches that a lot of this team should be changed. They beat this same NZ team by record margin with the same circumstances but with a different core. They bring back the tried and tested guys and they nearly botch this game.
141 Go to commentsI knew who wrote this article from the first few words in the headline…lol. The red card actually did the ABs a favour. It galvanized them, only then did they step up a gear. Before that there was zero momentum.
141 Go to commentsFirstly the foul on Bongi was a planned move just like the NZ master plan with Bryce Lawrence you kiwis are filthy fux perhaps try to play a cleaner game next time I doubt that’s possible tho but don’t worry world rugby is on yr side they trying to take away all the BOKS strengths to help all you weakling as Jeremy Clarkson would say LA OO ZA ERR..🤣
141 Go to commentsAbsolutely spot on Ben. I certainly wouldn't gloat over a win like that. Frustrating as it is it's done and dusted and history will forever show the result.
141 Go to commentsHo hum.
141 Go to commentsNo question they were the better team. But that is the beauty of sport isn’t it!
141 Go to commentsEveryone is into Hurling in Ireland according to Porter, but only 11 of Ireland's 32 counties enter a team into the national competition. Same old blarney.
1 Go to commentsLet’s be honest. The draw and scheduling in the World Cup was a joke but South Africa found a way after having to go the hard (nearly impossible) way to the Cup Final via France and England. NZ had a hard game against France (lost) and had 5 weeks to prepare for the Quarter, 3 weeks knowing it was Ireland. NZ theerfore had to win one big game against an Irish team who played SA and then Scotland 7 days before. They won and it was de facto a semi final because they were playing a relatively weak Argentina team and it was a walk over. In the final a very rested NZ team was playing a very tired SA team and still lost. They couldn’t score more than 11 points. Put another way SA had to find a way to win while tired and they achieved that. NZ should thank their lucky stars that they fixed the scheduling in 2015 otherwise they would be dealing with a Bok treble.
141 Go to commentsPerhaps if Bongi wasn’t targeted and removed from the game in the first 3 minutes it would have been quite a different game. Maybe if NZ also faced the same competition the Boks faced to their win NZ would have looked quite different. The final score shows who outplayed who.
141 Go to commentsRubbish article! Abuladze played most of Exeters matches when fit. He got injured against Glasgow a while ago and is out for the rest of the season, thats why he hasnt played for Exeter and Georgia recently. Do some proper research next time!
1 Go to commentsGotta love it when kids throw their toys out the pram and can’t hack it with the grown ups debate. Here’s looking at you turlough! 😉🤣
148 Go to commentsThey lost the game period move on
141 Go to comments