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It's on... Ashton has penned deal and will make dramatic Premiership return

(Photo by Getty Images)

After a record-breaking season in France that concluded with a starring role for the Barbarians in their win over England at Twickenham, Chris Ashton will be returning to the Premiership next season.

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The 31-year-old has been heavily linked with Sale Sharks in recent weeks and RugbyPass now understands that a deal has been struck and his signing will be announced next week.

With Ashton keen to push his case for inclusion in the England team at the Rugby World Cup next year and Mourad Boudjellal’s recent comments that Ashton’s future was in the player’s own hands, the writing was on the wall regarding a return to the Premiership.

The former Saracens and Northampton Saints man played in the unaccustomed position of full-back for Toulon last season and still managed to break the Top 14 try scoring record, crossing the whitewash 24 times, five times more than closest rival Nemani Nadolo and three more than the previous record, which was held by Napolioni Nalaga.

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It is those performances which have prompted Sale to move, with RugbyPass understanding that they see Ashton as an option at 15, especially with both Denny Solomona and Marland Yarde already in the mix on the wing. Ashton will help fill the void created by Mike Haley’s and Will Addison’s departures to Ireland.

The move will once again make him eligible to play for England, although he will have a fair amount of competition to win a spot in the wider squad, let alone the matchday 23.

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Jonny May and Mike Brown both did their stock no harm in South Africa this summer, whilst Elliot Daly had the free pass of adapting to a new position at international level. Both Anthony Watson and Jack Nowell will be available again next season, too, whilst he will also need to beat out soon-to-be club teammates Solomona and Yarde.

He will, however, add to the options in Eddie Jones’ arsenal and if he can replicate his Toulon form from last season, there’s no reason why he can’t push himself into contention.

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Bull Shark 1 hour ago
Rassie Erasmus' Boks selection policy is becoming bizarre

To be fair, the only thing that drives engagement on this site is over the top critiques of Southern Hemisphere teams.


Or articles about people on podcasts criticizing southern hemisphere teams.


Articles regarding the Northern Hemisphere tend to be more positive than critical. I guess to also rile up kiwis and Saffers who seem to be the majority of followers in the comments section. There seems to be a whole department dedicated to Ireland’s world ranking news.


Despite being dialled into the Northern edition - I know sweet fokall about what’s going on in France.


And even less than fokall about what’s cutting in Japan - which has a fast growing, increasingly premium League competition emerging.


And let’s not talk about the pacific. Do they even play rugby Down there.


Oh and the Americas. I’ve read more articles about a young, stargazing Welshman’s foray into NFL than I have anything related to either the north and south continents of the Americas.


I will give credit that the women’s game is getting decent airtime. But for the rest and the above; it’s just pathetic coming from a World Rugby website.


Just consider the innovation emerging in Japan with the pedigree of coaches over there.


There’s so much good we could be reading.


Instead it’s unimaginative “critical for the sake of feigning controversial”. Which is lazy, because in order to pull that off all you need to be really good at is:


1. Being a doos;

2. Having an opinion.


No prior experience needed.


Which is not journalism. That’s like all or most of us in the comments section. People like Finn (who I believe is a RP contributor).


Anyway. Hopefully it will get better. The game is growing and the interest in the game is growing. Maybe it will attract more qualified journalists over time.

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