Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

‘Can beat you in a phone box’: The Wade vs Ashton Immortals XV debate

(Graphic by BT Sport)

Gallagher Premiership players have had their say on whether Christian Wade or Chris Ashton should be selected on the BT Sport Immortals XV team. The sports broadcaster has been getting fans to select their Immortals XV before the selection culminates in a round-table debate show on May 27 featuring Ugo Monye, Lawrence Dallaglio, Ben Kay and Austin Healey.

ADVERTISEMENT

Marcos Ayerza, Schalk Brits, Martin Castrogiovanni, Maro Itoje, Martin Johnson, Joe Worsley, Neil Back, Dallaglio, Danny Care and Jonny Wilkinson have all topped fan polls in recent days and with a vote for the No11 position currently taking place online, BT Sport have now added the views of numerous high profile players to the debate.

Exeter midfielder Henry Slade said: “I’m going to go with Wade because he is so hard to tackle. They are both proper quick but Wade could change direction so quick, really difficult to tackle.”

Video Spacer

Dallaglio vs Vunipola – Who is the greatest Number 8 in Premiership rugby history?

Video Spacer

Dallaglio vs Vunipola – Who is the greatest Number 8 in Premiership rugby history?

Harlequins scrum-half Care chose differently. “I can’t go against Ashton even though I would love to. They are both incredible try scorers. I have known Chris for longer and he is still out there doing it at 38 or whatever age he is.”

The most consider view came from Alex Goode, the Saracens full-back. “Christian Wade is someone who can beat you in a phone box. Chris Ashton is someone whose energy, fitness which was underrated, and his support play is just the best we have ever seen. Both horrible defenders, terrible.

“Pretty bad under the high ball as well, both of them. I will go Chris Ashton because he has done it with England, won a lot of Premierships and European Cups which sadly Wade hasn’t. So purely for accolades, he [Ashton] gets that one.”

George Ford, who is the starting No10 for Sale when they host Ashton’s Leicester in Sunday’s Premiership semi-final, sided with the league’s all-time record try scorer: “I’ll have to go Ashton.

ADVERTISEMENT

“I played with him for six months at Leicester and he is unbelievable on the field in terms of how he wants the ball, how he talks, his understanding of the game and to be like that takes some doing especially as an outside back. No wonder he has scored so many tries.”

BT Sport’s Premiership Immortals celebrates the greatest players in the history of Premiership Rugby. From May 4 until the Premiership final on May 27, fans will be able to have their say on who they think deserves to have a spot in the competition’s all-time team. Cast your vote btsport.com/immortals 

ADVERTISEMENT

Boks Office | Episode 39 | The Investec Champions Cup is back

Argentina v France | HSBC SVNS Hong Kong 2025 | Men's Match Highlights

New Zealand v Australia | HSBC SVNS Hong Kong 2025 | Women's Match Highlights

Tokyo Sungoliath vs Shizuoka BlueRevs | Japan Rugby League One 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

Reds vs Force | Super Rugby W 2025 | Full Match Replay

The Rise of Kenya | The Report

New Zealand in Hong Kong | Brady Rush | Sevens Wonders | Episode 4

The Fixture: How This Rugby Rivalry Has Lasted 59 Years

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

f
fl 11 minutes ago
Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

“A succession of recent ex-players going straight back into the game as coaches in their early 40’s would prob be enough to kill it stone-dead. Innovation would die a death.”

Would it? I do think one of the major differences between rugby and most other sports - which we’ve been overlooking - is the degree to which players are expected to lead team meetings & analysis sessions and the like. Someone like Owen Farrell has basically been an assistant coach already for ten years - and he’s been so under a variety of different head coaches with different expectations and playing styles.


“The most interesting ppl I have met in the game have all coached well into their sixties and they value the time and opportunity they have had to reflect and therefore innovate in the game. That’s based on their ability to compare and contrast between multiple eras.”

I don’t doubt that that’s true. But having interesting insights doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be the best able to inspire a team, or the best at managing the backroom staff.


“Wayne Smith winning the WWC in his mid sixties three years ago prob means nothing to you but it meant a lot to him. It took him back to the roots of is own coaching journey.”

I don’t doubt that! But I don’t think coaches should be hired on the basis that it means a lot to them.


“The likes of Carlo Ancelotti and Wayne Bennett and Andy Reid all have a tale to tell. You should open your ears and listen to it!”

I agree! Never have I ever suggested otherwise!

176 Go to comments
J
JW 4 hours ago
French bid to poach 109kg 17-year-old dual-code Aussie prospect Heinz Lemoto

Yes that’s what WR needs to look at. Football had the same problem with european powerhouses getting all the latin talent then you’re gaurenteed to get the odd late bloomer (21/22 etc, all the best footballers can play for the country much younger to get locked) star changing his allegiance.


They used youth rep selection for locking national elifibilty at one point etc. Then later only counted residency after the age of 18 (make clubs/nations like in this case wait even longer).


That’s what I’m talking about, not changing allegiance in rugby (were it can only be captured by the senior side), where it is still the senior side. Oh yeah, good point about CJ, so in most cases we probably want kids to be able to switch allegiance, were say someone like Lemoto could rep Tonga (if he wasn’t so good) but still play for Australia’s seniors, while in someone like Kite’s (the last aussie kid to go to France) case he’ll be French qualified via 5 years residency at the age of 21, so France to lock him up before Aussie even get a chance to select him. But if we use footballs regulations, who I’m suggesting WR need to get their a into g replicating, he would only start his 5 years once he turns 18 or whatever, meaning 23 yo is as soon as anyone can switch, and when if they’re good enough teams like NZ and Aus can select them (France don’t give a f, they select anybody just to lock them).

9 Go to comments
J
JW 4 hours ago
Kyren Taumoefolau All Blacks stance splits opinions on eligibility

The only benefit of the draft idea is league competitiveness. There would be absolutely no commercial value in a draft with rugby’s current interest levels.


I wonder what came first in america? I’m assuming it’s commercial aspect just built overtime and was a side effect essentially.


But the idea is not without merit as a goal. The first step towards being able to implement a draft being be creating it’s source of draftees. Where would you have the players come from? NFL uses college, and players of an age around 22 are generally able to step straight into the NFL. Baseball uses School and kids (obviously nowhere near pro level being 3/4 years younger) are sent to minor league clubs for a few years, the equivalent of the Super Rugby academies. I don’t think the latter is possible legally, and probably the most unethical and pointless, so do we create a University scene that builds on and up from the School scene? There is a lot of merit in that and it would tie in much better with our future partners in Japan and America.


Can we used the club scene and dispose of the Super Rugby academies? The benefit of this is that players have no association to their Super side, ie theyre not being drafted elshwere after spending time as a Blues or Chiefs player etc, it removes the negative of investing in a player just to benefit another club. The disadvantage of course is that now the players have nowhere near the quality of coaching and each countries U20s results will suffer (supposedly).


Or are we just doing something really dirty and making a rule that the only players under the age of 22 (that can sign a pro contract..) that a Super side can contract are those that come from the draft? Any player wanting to upgrade from an academy to full contract has to opt into the draft?

34 Go to comments
J
Joy B 6 hours ago
Sempéré salue ces joueurs qui préfèrent jouer plutôt que prendre des vacances

When life gives you reasons to be sad, say No and Make the world know that you have more than a thousand reasons to smile. I almost gave up on my quest of finding a permanent cure to this nasty virus called HIV. I never thought i would be HIV negative again after been diagnosed in 2018, i have tried everything possible in life from one doctor to another, one hospital to another, series of tests, different kinds of medication, i had already lost hope until i melt Mara Clifton who kindly told me about DR ODIGIE who do cure difference virus by the preparation of herbs and roots. I searched about the DR online which leads me to different testimonies about the great herbal DR. I decided to make up my mind to give him a try, I contacted his email that was given in the post and I followed him with all seriousness and I did all he instructed me and he sent me a herbal medicine which i took for 14 days. After the 14th day dr ODIGIE told me to go for another test to confirm my new hiv status. To my greatest surprise, the disease that seemed incurable disappeared within 14 days of using his herbal remedy. I am writing this here in order to put you in the know that there is a cure for this virus. It is time to stop believing in the medical doctors who say to us there is no cure for Cancer, Herpes, Hiv and many more viruses. I just want you to know that if you are going through any health challenge, contact this man and follow his instructions diligently and have a disease free life. his email is (drodigiehealthcure@gmail.com) safe your life today because healthy health is wealth and a good health worth more than wealth famous, so please get back your health by getting in touch with DR ODIGIE kindly get him contacted by emailing him or call/Whatsapp on (+2347049458624

0 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ Why NZR's Ineos settlement may be the most important victory they'll enjoy this year Why NZR's Ineos settlement may be the most important victory they'll enjoy this year
Search