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The Worcester verdict on Chris Ashton's first five weeks at his latest club
Worcester have expressed satisfaction with how ex-England international Chris Ashton had fitted in at his latest Gallagher Premiership club, the soon-to-be 34-year-old finally making his debut last Saturday having joined the Jonathan Thomas-coached side on January 25.
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The veteran, who is four tries shy of equalling Tom Varndell’s all-time Premiership try-scoring record, had hinted at his first Worcester media conference after he had signed that he was hoping to quickly play for the Warriors following his arrival from Harlequins.
However, Ashton had to wait five weeks to make his Worcester debut, last Saturday’s outing at Gloucester being his first match of any kind since a December 20 Champions Cup defeat for Harlequins at the hands of Racing 92.
Aside from expressing his enduring desire to play rugby, Ashton had added that his 18-month deal with Worcester would see him become a mentor to the younger players in the squad being assembled at Sixways by newly promoted head coach Thomas, whose latest signing on Tuesday was Scott Baldwin, Ashton’s old Harlequins colleague.
Despite suffering eight consecutive Premiership defeats since an opening weekend win over London Irish in November, Thomas has described the input of Ashton these past five weeks as encouraging and he is expecting good things from the veteran in the months ahead.
“The relationships didn’t connect as much… sometimes personalities don’t match, faces didn’t fit"
– England's Chris Ashton has fronted the media – including @heagneyl ??? – just 2?? days after joining Worcester from Harlequins #GallagherPremhttps://t.co/oW3OwnwWf6
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 26, 2021
“He [Ashton] has settled in really well,” said Thomas about a player whose switch to Harlequins last year didn’t work out following his abrupt departure from Sale. “He is a really good guy. He is not afraid to challenge and that is one of the reasons I felt he could add value. Where we are in terms of our evolution of the team, we have got really good men and good people in the club but the great teams challenge each other because what rugby is about is problem-solving.
“So when you are in a game and you are points down or you’re in adversity it’s about communicating, connecting and also challenging. It’s not always about fluffy conversations, so if you need to solve a problem you need to have a tough conversation.
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“Where we need to get better as a team is probably our communication at times isn’t good enough, that is something we need to improve. But Chris is someone who is really, really vocal. He has got real quality communication skills in those moments in terms of, I did a one-on-one with Jamie Shillcock on Monday.
“Because your 10 is someone who needs to pull the strings, what your 10 needs are voices outside of him giving him help on where space is and he said to me how good Chris was in terms of the voice and talking to him about kicks, space in the backfield and all those things. So Chris has added real value to the game in terms of his communication and his leadership.
“Obviously the big thing for Chris is just getting through the 80 minutes. He knows there are a few work-ons but that is going to come. He hasn’t played for ages so he is going to get better but it was important that he got the monkey off his back in terms of playing in that first game. He did a lot of good things, a few things he can improve, things any player (does), but he has brought real value to the club and he is going to get better.”
'…the chances of injury are high just because of the nature of the game but the moment you start fearing that is going to happen to you, that is when those things start to happen'
New @theRPA chair & @WorcsWarriors prop @beef324 chats to @heagneyl ???https://t.co/RzhBphLCb6
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 21, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
A wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
24 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to comments