Chris Ashton set to sign for SIXTH Premiership club
Transfer RumoursTuesday, 01 February 2022 at 20:15
Former England winger Chris Ashton is set to shelve retirement plans to join a sixth Gallagher Premiership club.
The controversial winger, who met with Leicester Tigers boss and former Saracens teammate Steve Borthwick this afternoon, left Worcester in December and is currently a free agent.
“We go a long way back,” said Borthwick on Tuesday.
“We played together many, many years ago. I met with him and had a chat just to see where he was at. It’s the first time I’ve spoken to him in a long time. It was really just a sound-out conversation.
“My experience of Chris is someone who is determined to win, very driven and very, very competitive,
“When I played with him, I always enjoyed that. It doesn’t always mean you’re nice and pally. In a driven environment, it’s great to have those people.
“That’s the way I always found him when I was playing alongside him. That’s the way I found him playing against him. That’s what I heard from him when I coached against him in the England squad. I regard that competitiveness as a strength.
“In terms of how and what has happened with other teams, I have no idea and not a huge amount of interest, to be honest. It’s none of my business.
"I just take the guy on what I see and had a chance to chat with him and catch up today.”
Ashton sits third on the all-time list of Premiership try-scorers with 89, which is three shy of Tom Varndell, who has led the standings on 92 scores since February 2017.
EDITORS PICKS:
- Another England star ruled out of Six Nations opener
- Jeremy Guscott picks his England backline to beat Scotland
- Sam Underhill to step down from rugby
- Five rugby union law changes confirmed for 2022
- Retired Nigel Owens picks his dream XV of players he refereed
Tuesday’s Rugby Transfers: Cipriani and Robshaw, 7 Tigers signs new deals, Quins hold onto England star
Tuesday's rugby transfer round-up.
RUMOUR: Saracens prop Richard Barrington could be heading to France at the end of the season, according to The Rugby Paper. FULL STORY
STAYING: England front-rowers Nic Dolly and Joe Heyes and Scotland centre Matt Scott are among seven players to agree new contracts with Leicester Tigers. FULL STORY
RUMOUR: Playmaker Sam Hidalgo-Clyne could become the next player to leave Exeter Chiefs this summer when his contract runs out. FULL STORY
BORROWED: Cornish Pirates have confirmed that hooker Tom Cowan-Dickie has joined the club on a five-week loan deal from Leicester Tigers. FULL STORY
DONE: The Waratahs have announced the signing of Wales and British & Irish Lions international Jamie Roberts on a one-year injury coverage contract for the 2022 season. FULL STORY
REPORT: Wasps boss Lee Blackett is still looking to replace the spine of his backline next season and has added a starting fly-half with out of contact Danny Cipriani being one of his options. FULL STORY
RE-SIGNED: Harlequins have announced that recent double Club centurion and England international Will Collier has signed a new long-term deal. FULL STORY
BRACE: Sale Sharks are bracing themselves for a raid from former boss Steve Diamond after he was confirmed as Worcester Warrior’s new director of rugby. FULL STORY
UNSURE: Former England captain Chris Robshaw isn't ready to retire just yet and is set to sign an extension with San DIego Legion.
MOVE: Leinster Rugby forward Josh Murphy has agreed to join Connacht Rugby from the start of next season. FULL STORY
STAYING: Fiji forward Mesu Kunavula is motivated to hit form ahead of next year's World Cup after signing a new Edinburgh contract. FULL STORY
EXTENSION: Trio Dan Goggin, John Hodnett and James French, who are all products of the Greencore Munster Rugby Academy, have signed new contracts at Munster. FULL STORY
DEPARTURE: Wales international Scott Baldwin has been released from his Worcester Warriors contract on compassionate grounds. FULL STORY
TRENDING
LATEST NEWS
LATEST COMMENTS
- Jordie Barrett over Damian de Allende is far from being correct. The hype around Dupont is also overreaching, he's probably 4th in the world and has been since the 2023 WC. He also avoids certain matchups which is strange. The rest of the list is pretty good apart from minor subjective biases.JasonMarlow16-09-2026
Loading
