The news that broke last week of Chris Ashton being linked with a Leicester Tigers, and was training at the club, was met with a range of different opinions by the fanbase. It is fair to say that The Chris Ashton debate has appeared to have split supporters down the middle, with roughly half voicing their support for the move, with similar numbers taking an opposite view, with concern raised. It is fair to say that Ashton is an individual that comes with baggage and one that is very much a marmite figure, so this reaction is probably to be expected. So with eyebrows being raised around the league, what are Leicester playing at bringing him in?
If this was purely a rugby decision, then there would be no debate to be had. Chris Ashton is a winger with supreme scoring statistics, and a conversion rate that is the envy of many - on paper it is a very easy decision to bring him in. Ashton is closing in on the Premiership try-scoring record, currently sitting third with 89 tries, has another 40 in European competition, with an additional 20 tries from 44 England appearances. Charlie Morgan from The Telegraph recently revealed that Tigers are following a moneyball approach to their recruitment – using data analytics to help identify and target players to join the club. It would appear that Ashton joining is following that method – statistically he is probably the best winger available for our budget. In simple terms, his signing looks a no brainer, however that only tells a portion of the story.
Ashton is a man that arrives at Tigers with a history, with his most recent being one that is not desirable. Since returning from Toulon in France, he has gone through a range of clubs, leaving a bit of a stink each time. From 2018 to 2020, he was with Sale Sharks before a supposed falling out with Steve Diamond saw a parting of the ways. He then had brief stint at Harlequins, where the feedback from fans included “he spent more time in the local coffee shops than on the pitch”. His most recent move was an ill-fated one with Worcester Warriors, with three appearances made before leaving under somewhat of a cloud. Given he has also played for Northampton Saints and Saracens, the jokes about him having more clubs than a golfer has more than a whiff of truth about them.
It is not just the number of clubs that has caused such concern. Ashton’s on-field antics also leaves a lot to be desired – he has received bans for eye-gouging as well as one for biting. He also has history with the Tigers, specifically with the Tuilagi family. Memorably he was involved in the fracas with Manu Tuilagi in the 2011 Premiership semi-final which saw Tuilagi land a clean punch to the chin of Ashton. He then 6 months later received a 4 week ban for pulling the hair of elder Tuilagi Alex, starting a mass brawl amongst the two sets of players. Given the above, it is easy to see why there are many fans who are completely against the idea of Ashton pulling on the Tigers’ shirt.
The Chris Ashton debate has left many wondering if Leicester are taking an unnecessary risk. They are a team that is flying at the top of the Premiership table, with a 100% record in the Premiership Cup and qualifying into the last 16 of Europe with relative ease. They are a club that is reborn, built on a culture of respect and hard-work, with a squad that looks tight and with a healthy team spirit. Given the background of Ashton, it is not hard to see why many feel that this is a move that could undermine all what has been created up to this point.
Where that risk can be mitigated is in the form of Head Coach Steve Borthwick and his coaching team, including Aled Walters, (Sir) Kevin Sinfield and Richard Wigglesworth.
Borthwick is a man well-known for his tough management style, who does not accept anything less than 100% commitment and hard-work. He is also a man who on his first day, sent a group of players off the training field who he felt were not training hard enough. He is also a man that crucially, knows Ashton. He has played alongside him, albeit briefly, at Saracens, and has also coached him at Sarries and with England. Wigglesworth also knows him, having also played alongside him for Saracens. It is fair to say that that period of his career was the one that saw the best of Chris Ashton. That knowledge of the man, and what brings out the best of him may be the most crucial in making the move a success.
You then combine those attributes with Sinfield who again is a man who takes no nonsense, then you have the makings of an environment that could get the best out of Ashton. Certainly you get the feeling he will be on the shortest of all leashes, with even a sneeze out of place being enough to send him packing. Culture is the all-important buzzword at Leicester, and the coaching staff will not be prepared to have that ruined by one player acting up.
It is that hard-working and tough working environment that could see the best of Ashton. When placed in similar environments at Saracens and England, he has seen his form flourish and tries scored aplenty. It may also point to why he got himself in such trouble at other places. There is a phrase – “the devil makes work for idle hands” – that possibly shows a bit of a backstory. At Worcester he was a senior player in a squad that had numerous issues, with a whiff of non-commitment being one. Is it disruptive for Ashton to point out low standards are not acceptable? Is it a bad trait to have to not be happy with colleagues who are not totally committed to the cause?
At Quins he joined a club under the stewardship of Paul Gustard – who’s reign was one where it was felt he underachieved with the resources he had. Remember, the Quins won the league 7-8 months after Gustard left the club, with the same playing resources that he was working with. In addition, Steve Diamond is a man who is also combustible, with a fiery reputation that is well-earned. These are not things that excuse Ashton, but are factors to point to there being two sides to every story. Depending on who you speak to, Ashton is probably either going to be described as a misunderstood winner, or a pain in the arse who is a disruptive influence. Only those who were there can really tell that story, and no doubt that may end up splitting opinion as well.
Leicester fans should also be careful of casting dispersions over Ashton’s record elsewhere. Comments have been made that with the biting and gouging bans, he is man that does not have the correct character to be involved in a rugby team like Leicester – with high standards required over their playing staff over who they are as men, not just players. However it is worth remembering that favourite son Manu Tuilagi was convicted of assaulting female police officers in 2015. Further down the line Tuilagi claimed that he was told to admit his guilt by the lawyer, but he was ultimately innocent. Is that true? Who knows, but what is a fact is that he was convicted in a court of law for said crime. Is that a sign of rugby values? At the time of the conviction, were the same fans who are so against Ashton joining, calling for Manu to leave the club with immediate effect? Combine that with Manu’s fairly obvious punch to Ashton and you could leave yourself open to accusation so hypocrisy if you defend one player, but vilify the other.
It is not just Tigers who have had success taking a punt on players with a past. Martin O’Neill of Leicester City assembled a squad of rogues, characters and individuals with potentially fiery or troublesome reputations, however put them into a hard-working environment which got the best out of them. Those men were all different, however what they had was a burning desire to win and improve themselves as players. Sound familiar? It is exactly the same environment that Borthwick has built at Leicester, where reputations count for nothing, and how hard you work being the only currency that matters.
The Chris Ashton debate has been one that has understandably split the fanbase, and is one that I have been on the fence on ever since last week’s revelations. He is a player with a past, and one that undoubtably is a marmite figure that comes with baggage. Fans voicing their concerns over Ashton joining are firstly well within their rights to do so, and secondly have numerous good points to raise over him. It is very understandable why many are not convinced he is worth the gamble he very much is.
However, for all the reasons I have gone through above, I lean towards believing that Ashton is someone that could be worth taking a punt on. Borthwick’s judgement so far has been pretty much spot on in the two years since joining the club. He also knows Ashton better than I do, and is privy to conversations that I am not. This signing therefore comes down to a trust of Steve’s judgement, which for me, he has. As a result, that is good enough for me. Welcome to Leicester Chris, rip in and crack on!