Chris Ashton

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Chris Ashton : biography

29 March 1987 –

International

Ashton was selected for the 2004 Academy Origin Series and the 2004 victorious England Academy U-18s tour to Australia.

Although some criticisms were made about his defensive abilities, he earned a call into the England squad at the end of 2006 whilst Great Britain were on tour in Australia and New Zealand. Ashton made his England debut against France on 22 October 2006 in the Federation Shield tournament. He played in all four Federation Shield matches, which concluded with England winning the competition, and he scored three tries in his four games.

Club statistics

DQ= Club did not qualify

NA= Club was not eligible for tournament

Club Season League Challenge Cup Heineken Cup
Apps Tries Apps Tries Apps Tries
Wigan Warriors 2005 Super League X 2 1 0 0 NA NA
2006 Super League XI 26 13 2 1 NA NA
2007 Super League XII 19 10 3 2 NA NA
Northampton Saints National Division One 2007-08 25 39 NA NA DQ DQ
Premiership 2008-09 9 1 NA NA DQ DQ
Premiership 2009-10 20 16 NA NA 6 6
Premiership 2010-11 12 10 NA NA 7 1

International statistics

NH= Tournament not held

Team Year Six Nations Other World Cup Total
Apps+Subs Tries Apps+Subs Tries Apps+Subs Tries Apps+Subs Tries
England rugby league 2006 NA NA 4+0 3 NA NA 4+0 3
2007 NA NA 0 0 NA NA 0 0
England rugby union 2008 0 0 0 0 NH NH 0 0
2009 0 0 0 0 NH NH 0 0
2010 1+0 0 6+0 3 NH NH 7+0 3
2011 5+0 6 5+0 6 10+0 12

Rugby union career

Northampton Saints

On 19 March 2007 it was announced that Ashton had signed to play rugby union for Northampton Saints. Wigan granted Ashton an early release from his contract, freeing him to complete his cross-code move.

On 1 September 2007, he made his debut for Northampton at Franklin’s Gardens as a late substitute for Will Harries against London Welsh in National Division One. He scored his first try for the club, with his first touch of the ball, in the same game which Saints won 44–11.

The following week he scored on his debut for Northampton’s second team, Northampton Wanderers. and a substitute scoring appearance against Moseley.

In 2008, Ashton broke the National Division One try scorer record, scoring 39 tries (and one conversion) from only 25 appearances.

Despite a relatively disappointing 2008–09 season, with many appearances in the Wanderers and struggling to make it into the first team as a regular fixture, in the 2009–10 season Ashton embarked on a run of form that brought 15 tries in 16 games in all competitions including Heineken Cup efforts against Munster and Perpignan.