Chris Ashton
Squad: Northampton Saints
Position: Wing
Age: 24
Height: 1.82m (5'12")
Weight: 92kg (14st 6lb)
Caps: 15
Biography:
A try in each quarter of the Italy match added symmetry to the Ashton feat that also brought the man of the match award. With two already tucked away against Wales, it took him to a RBS 6 Nations Championship equalling best of six in a single season. He shares the record with Will Greenwood (2001) and Shane Williams (2008) and was the leading try-scorer in 2011 Championship, three more than Ireland’s Brian O’Driscoll, who was in second place.
He marked his second RWC match in mid-September this year with two tries against Georgia in Dunedin. They took his touchdown tally in double figures after what was his fifteenth Test appearance.
Euphoric praise had already been heaped on Chris for his stunning 85-metre try against Australia in the second Investec International last November and it was richly deserved. Parallels were drawn with the great England scores of yesteryear – by Andy Hancock, Richard Sharp, Peter Jackson and Prince Obolensky. He also joined the elite group of Matt Perry, Rory Underwood and Ben Cohen in notching two tries for England against Australia.
Prolific try-scoring had already crowned his success in the union game since switching from Wigan Warriors RLFC to Northampton Saints on a three-year contract for the 2007-08 season, in which he made 39 touchdowns, a record for what is now the Championship.
His knack of crossing the opposing line continued unabated as was illustrated with his outstanding maiden Test try on his third appearance in the 21-20 victory over Australia at Sydney in June last year. He followed that with another try in the final tour match against New Zealand Maori in Napier.
Two tries against Wales in early February this year guided England to a 26-19 win at the Millennium Stadium – their first at the ground for eight years.
Chris had headed the try list in the European Challenge Cup in 2008-09 and was not only the 2009-10 Guinness Premiership Player of the Season but the competition’s top try-scorer with 16, five more than his nearest challenger, Joe Maddock, of Bath Rugby. Wigan-born Chris had signed a new two-year contract with Northampton in January 2010.
His 32 matches in all competitions in 2009-10 produced 23 tries, with his Saints’ career total since escalating to 86 in his first 97 games to the end of the 2010-11 season. He is a product of St John Fisher Catholic High School, where London Wasps head coach Shaun Edwards was also educated and emerged through Wigan’s development system. Chris scored 27 tries in 23 academy matches and made his Super League debut against Hull in 2005 at the age of 18.
The following season, he was Wigan’s heaviest try-scorer with support running his shining feature. An intuitive player, Chris was chosen for the England rugby league team in the 2006 Federation Shield tournament and following his move to Northampton, scored his first try against London Welsh with his initial touch of the ball on his debut in a 44-11 victory.
Images:
Chris Ashton
Chris Ashton
Chris Ashton
Chris Ashton
Chris Ashton
Chris Ashton
Chris Ashton
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