Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
NZ NZ

Video - Chris Ashton makes Premiership history but Leicester lose Ford

By PA
Chris Ashton of Tigers celebrates at the final whistle during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby match between Exeter Chiefs and Leicester Tigers at Sandy Park (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

Chris Ashton became the joint highest try-scorer in Gallagher Premiership history as Leicester secured their place in the play-offs – but the 22-17 victory at Exeter may have come at a high cost.

ADVERTISEMENT

George Ford limped off just after the half-hour mark having sustained an injury when tackled by Sam Maunder and the runaway league leaders will be hoping their ringmaster has not incurred any serious damage.

Outside of his spells away on England duty, Ford has been at the heart of Leicester’s impressive campaign and was influential for the time he was on the Sandy Park pitch, including executing the pinpoint kick that presented Ashton with his first try.

Video Spacer

Freddie Steward | RugbyPass Offload | Episode 26

We wrap up the Guinness Six Nations with England fullback Freddie Steward joining the show this week. We get their view on Italy’s historic win against Wales, Scotland’s disappointing performance in Dublin and France’s Grand Slam winning performance in Paris. Freddie tells us about his pre-match rituals, his England bestie, life in student digs, Pennyhill Park and which opposition player impressed him the most in the Six Nations.

Video Spacer

Freddie Steward | RugbyPass Offload | Episode 26

We wrap up the Guinness Six Nations with England fullback Freddie Steward joining the show this week. We get their view on Italy’s historic win against Wales, Scotland’s disappointing performance in Dublin and France’s Grand Slam winning performance in Paris. Freddie tells us about his pre-match rituals, his England bestie, life in student digs, Pennyhill Park and which opposition player impressed him the most in the Six Nations.

Ashton ran in his second after the break with the two scores equalling Tom Varndell’s long-standing record of 92 touchdowns as the twilight of his career continues its unexpected revival.

Leicester were forced to withstand a final-quarter uprising as Exeter chipped away at a 19-0 deficit, scoring short range tries through Dave Ewers and Patrick Schickerling to set up a nerve-jangling finale to the title clash in Devon.

But not for the first time this season, the Tigers played smart rugby in the closing to stages clinch a 17th win in 20 matches that assures them of a Premiership semi-final.

Exeter <a href=Chiefs v Leicester Tigers – Gallagher Premiership – Sandy Park” />

ADVERTISEMENT

It took just six minutes for Ford to reward Leicester’s early dominance as a home defence that had been softened by repeated carries offered acres of space on the right.

Spotting the vulnerability, Ford hoisted a kick to the touchline for Ashton to collect and score.

Exeter were being hamstrung by a growing penalty count and the high number of mistakes made at key moments, restricting their ability to apply any sustained pressure.

Exeter Chiefs v Leicester Tigers - Gallagher Premiership - Sandy Park

The errors compounded as flanker Jacques Vermeulen was sent to the sin-bin for a deliberate knock-on as Leicester maintained their stranglehold, albeit with the help of willing opponents.

ADVERTISEMENT

The inevitable second try had England’s stamp all over it as Ford chipped over the defence, forcing Exeter to scramble furiously, before Ben Youngs adopted the same tactic to give Freddie Steward an easy touchdown with the help of a kind bounce.

Ford’s afternoon was over, however, to place a high price on the 12-0 lead that had opened up.

Ashton’s dangerous tackle on Jack Innard offered Exeter the platform to attack just before half-time but to sum up their afternoon so far, they were held up over the line.

And their position deteriorated further five minutes after the interval when a loose Ian Whitten pass was scooped by Ashton and the former rugby league star had the gas to win the foot race.

It was now Nemani Nadolo’s turn to be shown a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on and his departure induced Exeter’s most effective period as a series of drives ended with Ewers going over.

Leicester’s position was strengthened by a Freddie Burns penalty and while the Chiefs appeared to have hit back through Jonny Gray, the try was chalked off for grounding reasons.

But the tide was clearly turning and replacement prop Schickerling drove over to slash the deficit to eight points.

Joe Simmonds landed a penalty but Exeter’s last-gasp attempts to snatch victory went frustrated, although the losing bonus point offered some reward.

ADVERTISEMENT

Join free

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | Episode 6

Sam Warburton | The Big Jim Show | Full Episode

Japan Rugby League One | Sungoliath v Eagles | Full Match Replay

Japan Rugby League One | Spears v Wild Knights | Full Match Replay

Boks Office | Episode 10 | Six Nations Final Round Review

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | How can New Zealand rugby beat this Ireland team

Beyond 80 | Episode 5

Rugby Europe Men's Championship Final | Georgia v Portugal | Full Match Replay

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

J
Jon 6 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

35 Go to comments
j
john 9 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

35 Go to comments
A
Adrian 11 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

35 Go to comments
FEATURE
FEATURE Juan Ignacio Brex: 'Italy made history, but it's not enough' Juan Ignacio Brex: 'Italy made history, but it's not enough'
Search