Chris Ashton scored 20 tries in 44 caps for England between 2010 and 2019. Photo: Getty Images/Shaun Botterill
Those who mourn Rugby's lack of characters would do well to hear Chris Ashton's story about the vitriol he's been attracted to throughout his career for daring to show his personality on the pitch.
Acting as a pantomime villain for so long in a career that has generated a staggering 286 tries in 427 games, Ashton, the Premier League record for most tries, received an outpouring of praise this week to mark his retirement at the end of the season completely uncomfortable.
«Usually I'm used to getting a lot of hate,» the Leicester Tigers wing said. “Actually, I prefer it, so getting a lot of love is unusual. It's weird, I prefer it the other way. People stand up and say nice things and I don't like it. Maybe I have a northerner in me, but on the contrary, you like it, just straight and true.”
The antipathy towards him stems in large part from his hyper-competitiveness — a trait shared by fellow Wiganese Owen Farrell — which was also a major factor in how he progressed through six Premier League clubs, as well as receiving another record-breaking shade at Toulon. “I play on the edge and I want to win,” Ashton, 36, said.
«Sometimes people can look at this and think, 'Why is he like this?' I do my job to win the game. I just do everything in my power to win, and sometimes it crosses the line.»
Then there was the Ash Splash, which he used to celebrate his sensational solo performance against Australia in 2010. It became a cult celebration that went beyond rugby but soon became a lightning rod for criticism every time he didn't perform. his own high standards to the point where he stopped using them.
🗓 On this day in 2010: Chris Ashton did it against Australia. pic.twitter.com/daEl1RZxvK
— Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby), November 13, 2020
«I removed it because I didn't want it to be in the spotlight anymore,» Ashton said. “It was about putting your head down and doing your job. It went hand in hand: I did stupid dives and appeared on social media.
For going into immersion and social media, you never experienced it, you didn't know how to deal with it, and it probably unintentionally influenced the way I approached things, because you are constantly faced with it. Am I doing the right thing, why are they mad at me for diving?
“You say that you need characters in the game, and then you beat the stuffing out of someone who puts his head over the parapet. Everyone else will look at it and say I'm not going to do it. I'll just stay in my lane and play rugby.
How to develop the game and approach it from a different angle if you don't have a couple of characters that revolve around you.
By Ashton's own admission, who made 20 tries for England in 44 games. , has sometimes been his own worst enemy, racking up numerous bans, including for biting and tackling, throughout his career.
'People see this sinking when I give a thumbs up'
However, the most devastating suspension was for an alleged violation of the rights of Luke Marshall of Ulster, costing him a place in the England first team Eddie Jones, though Ashton remains puzzled by the crime.
«To this day, I have no idea why (I was quoted),» Ashton said. “Maybe they hated me because I once dived in Ulster. People see this dive as something I'm pointing at the crowd, but I've never done it for that reason.
I did this to celebrate a successful attempt. Why not go diving? But they were so offended by this that we beat them at home. It had a little effect on it. It was so out of the ordinary and what they were saying was just not true, it was so obvious that I offended them in some way.”
Ashton has two regular season games left with Leicester since Sunday's home game against the Exeter Chiefs, plus potential play-off games to reach 100 Premier League attempts.
If he tells you about the landmark, Ashton is willing to consider taking Ash Splash out for one last outing. “Kids love it,” he said.
“You never know. Never say never. People seem to be chasing me a lot more lately, and there's a short in-goal area where it can stall.»
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