The reason Wigglesworth now admires Chris Ashton more than ever
Interim Leicester boss Richard Wigglesworth has paid Chris Ashton quite a tribute at his latest midweek media briefing. The 30-something ex-England pair go way back, first playing together at club level with Saracens for numerous seasons before getting reunited last spring when Ashton became a free-agent addition to Steve Borthwick’s Tigers roster.
Leicester went on to win the Gallagher Premiership title, defeating Saracens in a memorable Twickenham final last June. Now fresh from their latest win over the Londoners, a Welford Road fixture last Sunday where Wigglesworth picked Ashton on the wing, the former scrum-half has spoken about how helpful his former teammate has been now that their roles are suddenly very different at the club.
It was mid-December when Wigglesworth retired from playing with immediate effect in order to take over from the England-bound Borthwick as the emergency head coach until the end of the 2022/23 season. That resulted overnight in his relationships with teammates changing as he was now the boss rather than a fellow player with them in the dressing room.
That could have created awkwardness but in the case of Ashton, Wigglesworth has been chuffed by how his friend has helped him find his feet in the Leicester head coach role without blurring the lines between coach and player.
“A ball of energy is Chris,” said Wigglesworth when asked by RugbyPass to assess how Ashton has fared so far in a season where the next assignment for Leicester is this Saturday’s Premiership trip to London Irish.
“I’ll tell you what he has been really good with me: we are obviously pretty close, we played for a long time together at Saracens. But he has kept that (separate). He probably knew how tough the role was for me in terms of how it happened, the retirement and stuff. He was really good for me in terms of how professional he has been with that relationship.
“Whenever I have had to have a one-on-one with him or any conversations with him, he has kept it very coach-player. He could have if he wanted to try and pull on the personal relationship and he hasn’t.”
Ashton had bounced around a number of Premiership clubs without making much of an impression until he was snapped up this time last year by Leicester, Borthwick taking a gamble that the veteran would be a good fit for the Tigers despite his troubled spells with Worcester, Harlequins and Sale.
Twenty-four appearances and 10 tries later, Wigglesworth explained why Ashon has proved invaluable to Leicester. “Because Chris is a professional who wants to win and who wants to get trained well.
“In the environments where that doesn’t happen, he might have ended up struggling whereas he came to us and immediately was like this is a serious setup and I think he knew it was time he had to go right this is now or never. So we got him at the right time but I think we were a good fit for him as well.”
Having played himself until the age of 39, Wigglesworth has nothing but admiration for veteran players such as Ashton who keep putting the necessary effort in. “It’s your mentality to want to do it because it’s harder when you are older but only because you have done it for so long.
“So do you want to train in the same way, do you want to keep adapting, do you want to keep trying to move your game on, have you got the hunger for every cold training session every morning, every night away, have you got the hunger to do that? If you have and you’re lucky then you have got a chance. All the guys in our old brigade are like that.”
Speaking of good fits, how does Wigglesworth rate his own first two months as interim head coach, a position he will hold until the end of the season when he leaves to become an England assistant under Borthwick?
“It’s a very humbling job in terms of how much you get wrong because you have got to make so many decisions, there are so many little things that happen every day that you’d always want back. I’d struggle to put my finger on one because there are probably hundreds of little things that I have got wrong because it is that fast-moving and that fast-paced that you have to take it.
“The thing I have done is I have learned so much. The one bit of the job I have really enjoyed is how hopefully I have improved and how much you learn in this job. The next time that I’m given the opportunity (to be a head coach), this experience for me will be invaluable.”
How has Wigglesworth managed his work-life balance as a rookie head coach? “My wife would say I don’t have a work-life balance. That is what she’d say. I have got three kids, got a boy who loves rugby and football so I get to go and watch him, try and organise that time if the games allow.
“My eldest girl is into netball and hockey… and I have a three-year-old Margot who is busy shall we say, so whenever I am at home and not in the office she definitely distracts me,” he quipped.
Comments on RugbyPass
Let’s make them both Capt. I think we'd get the best of both of them and it would help alleviate some of the pressures of the role. They'd have to confer over on field decisions which should lead to “ learnings “ for both. They are our two best consistent performers.
16 Go to commentsOur best player by far..but not a good Captain..poor tactician cost the AB'S and Canes games by not taking the easy points and going for tries when the lineouts were a shambles..can he read a game? And his throat slitting gesture should disqualify him from the AB Captaincy..it is not the appropriate behaviour of an AB Captain.
16 Go to commentsForget what was said or how many players said it. TONY BROWN IS THE NEW ATTACK COACH. That’s the only story worth freaking out over. The springboks are going to grow their game an awful lot over the next cycle and it’s not just the 19 disgustingly arrogant Irish players who refused to shake Ebens hand and said “see you in the final if you can cheat your way past France” who will find that out first hand.
121 Go to commentsOn one hand I think it's a bit ridiculous that this gar into the season and with only 2 wins the Crusaders may make the finals. On the other hand if it was only top 4 or 5, then that last several weeks may be mainly dead rubbers. Nope, 8th place after round robin shouldn't be able to lift the trophy.
1 Go to commentsI do think the media in NZ treated him badly. Sam is a legend. He is humble, a great rugby mind and leader. What happened in the final could happen to anyone. The margins is so fine these days. I lay blame at the feet of the coaching staff and NZ rugby. The stats tell’s all. The AB’s was the worst disciplined side in the WC with more red and yellow cards than anyone else. Problem is NZ rugby is not training their players to play safer. And thats the danger a fast game brings. More yellow and red cards. But Sam Cane in my eye was and still is a great ambassador for the game, that just had a stroke of bad luck.
5 Go to commentsI hope Jim and co. Add this to their list of icebreaker questions they can ask all their guests going forward. So we can eventually hear what everyone thinks about this subject. “What do you think Ireland meant…”
121 Go to commentsHe’s a dominant personality. That might be both a good and bad thing in team dynamics. Certainly it ruined Smith’s first crack at 10 with Owen at 12. BTW, Bristol flatter to deceive. When things really matter, they tend to deliver less rather than more. Farrell would have been good for them
36 Go to commentsGot a lot of over the top abuse from Crusader fans, in particular, who thought every 7 they had was miles better. Now we will see if anyone is better? Laid his body on the line every game so finishing early makes sense. A lot of life left after rugby.
5 Go to commentsA poor decision to appoint Carley as not only is Pearce a better referee but also importantly speaks French.
2 Go to commentsHe is 100 % on the mark. Malicious arrogance with a lack of respect for the other teams mostly the south. they must learn from True rugby nations like the Boks and Kiwis
121 Go to commentsThis Outiniqua boy has played sublime rugby and deserves a spot in BI LIONS team. Well played son
4 Go to commentsI don’t like to see players miss big matches but this ban looks to be tailored to allow him to compete in the final. In principle a suspension for a very dangerous tackle in a semi should warrant missing the relevant final. Done now. One the flip side having both teams with very strong squads/teams available for the final will add to the occassion hopefully.
1 Go to commentsTalent to burn and a huge engine..hope he gets a shot at higher honours
2 Go to commentsIf anything like his dad he has a bright future, Soane was the best ball carrying props ive ever seen using a combination of pace power and footwork.
1 Go to commentsThose who saw Sharks vs Clermont and Ox N'Che vs Rabah Slimani should have a good idea of the best scrumagers… May be not the best props…
2 Go to commentsIt's been an unusual era of unpopular, highly competitive, domineering, fairly big fly halves in the home nations with Farrell, Sexton and Biggar. Russell is different in personality and player I think. I'd rank Sexton first of the three because he is just as good a game controller but also has a great passing game. And his competitiveness never seems to cause problems with refs.
36 Go to commentsThank goodness he wasn't born in Scotland, he'd have been a great candidate for the Scottish Barbarians. I wouldn't put it past them to push for a “where the player was conceived” rule 😂
2 Go to commentsOwen Farrell is one of the most polarising figures in the game. His entire attitude on the field (and sometimes off of it) smacks of arrogance and he is about as brash as Donald Trump in a political debate. Yet behind that facade is a calculating, determined and powerful leader who drives any team forward with an Iron will. You are right in that he gets better in the heat of battle and in the face of overwhelming odds. He develops a narrow focus and he delivers his best in a way that few others can. He is one of Englands great performers who sacrificed alot for the team and who often bears the weight of responsibility of leadership alone on the field and in front of the media. Despite what many think of him he is a fantastic game manager with a good rugby brain. He will be sorely missed from the international stage
36 Go to commentsAlways proud of the effort, Sam. The All blacks never stop fighting, never just roll over. He didn’t get anywhere near the respect he earned, but that’s due to results, not commitment to the cause. Have fun dominating in Japan!
1 Go to commentsNot sure why Papali’i thinks Scott Robertson needs his help to select the next All Black Captain. In my view, Papali’i would be well advised to have a good hard look at his own game, and to reflect on how fortunate he is to even wear the black jersey. Rather than shouting at his team mates at every set piece, standing in the mid-field pointing and holding his arms out and flopping to the ground at the back of every second or third ruck, may I suggest he would be far better employed actually doing something on the field. Seriously, watch him for 10 minutes during a game - not much happens. When was the last time he was first to a breakdown, or actually made a turnover? If Robertson is half the Coach I think he is, Papali’i will not be anywhere near the AB’s this season.
16 Go to comments