Northern Edition

Select Edition

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

Sale react to Ashton rumour, their take on Diamond at Worcester

(Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)

No sooner was it announced last month that Steve Diamond was heading in the door at Worcester as their lead rugby consultant was the out-of-favour Chris Ashton linked with a switch back to Sale, the club he hurriedly exited in February 2020 following an alleged falling out over the Sharks’ style of play. 

ADVERTISEMENT

Ex-England winger Ashton was quickly snapped up at the time by Harlequins but he made just six appearances for the Londoners after joining from Sale and he then switched to Worcester last January on the premise of helping the youngsters at the club while also chasing down the elusive all-time Premiership try-scoring record held by Tom Varndell.

That milestone hasn’t yet been annexed by the 34-year-old, Ashton making just four appearances for the Warriors and none since a March 27 loss to Northampton. He and the club are now reportedly in dispute, with Ashton unlikely to see it through to the end of his contract in summer 2022.

Video Spacer

Ex-All Blacks prop John Afoa guests on the latest RugbyPass Offload

Video Spacer

Ex-All Blacks prop John Afoa guests on the latest RugbyPass Offload

That sticky situation resulted in the suggestion that Ashton could be a target for Sale, especially after they lost Denny Solomona to New Zealand for personal reasons a fortnight ago. However, Sharks boss Sanderson has shot down the link even though he maintains the highest regard for Ashton, a player he previously worked with at Saracens.   

“I spoke to Ashy,” revealed Sanderson to RugbyPass, “and I know this in good faith because he still lives near St Albans, he drives past the Saracens training ground and rings up Joe Shaw and asks, ‘Do you want me to pull in?’ And they are like, ‘No Ashy, we’re alright, keep driving’. I don’t think we are the only club he has been knocking the door on. I’d love to see his career finish off well, I do. I like the man but at the moment our books are full, at the moment I have to close the door.”

It was this week last year when Diamond surprisingly quit his role as the long-serving Sale boss, claiming he needed some time away from the sport following some bereavements in his family. With his batteries now recharged, he was snapped up last month by Worcester who last Saturday defeated Wasps in the league at the end of the consultant’s first full week working at Sixways. 

Sanderson succeeded Diamond at Sale last January and he has now spoken about the situation that sees the Sharks’ former figurehead working at a rival Premiership club. “I don’t think anyone is surprised that he was going to get back in somewhere, somehow because he still has a lot to give to the game.

ADVERTISEMENT

“It was a little bit of, ‘What is he going to do, better the devil you know type thing knowing Dimes’. There were some jokes cracked on the fact that they won, that the mercurial coach had fixed it already, but you always get that bounce when new coaches come in and I have had mine (at Sale). People were genuinely happy, not surprised, and there is a little bit of anticipation about what he might do. 

“Anyone of Steve’s experience (is valuable to the Premiership). Colourful, motivated, understands the game, the fundamentals of the game to get performance. I can’t say Worcester were struggling a bit because they beat us but they needed a bit of help there, a bit of guidance and he will be good for them, he will steady the ship.”

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

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

J
JPM 38 minutes ago
Forget Ireland, the All Blacks face the real alpha of Europe next

Unfortunately you don't know anything about French rugby, coaches and players but still making a lot of assumptions and judgements to push your prefabricated and simplistic point of view that Dupont is manipulating everything and is a bad guy. I am not a NZ rugby specialist and wouldn't dare make such theories about what is going on within the ABs team. Therefore my advice to you is to do like Dupont and stay humble when you don't know all the background of the issues !!!


Firstly if you knew a bit of Galthié, he is not the type of coach who is going to ask advice to his players and even his captain about team selection. He is as stubborn as you...


Second Ramos has played a lot of times as 10 with Toulouse and therefore Dupont (in particular when Ntamack is injured and unfortunately it has often happened recently and for long periods). He even played 10 during the last 3 games of the 2024 6N and this was far better performance than the first two games with Jalibert as 10.


Thirdly Jalibert lacked of respect to a La Rochelle player so your theory is once again out.


Fourth as I explained to you Galthié went for a 6-2 bench and Jalibert can only play 10 which doesn't fit that plan. Furthermore as 15 Buros is better under high balls than Ramos and everybody is prepared for a tactical kicking game.


So you can blame Galthié for a lot of things (as you clearly enjoy doing at the end of your post and you should be very happy as an AB fan) but certainly not Dupont. Sorry once more for your conspiracy theory.


And don't worry about potential disharmony in the French team; they are excellent mates around their captain. Jalibert is well known in the French rugby circles to have not a strong character (and we saw that in the WC quarter finals as he is very nervous in any decisive international game unlike Ntamack and Ramos as for his late penalty kick vs England this year).


In conclusion enjoy the game tmrw night. It is good that the ABs are very upset; we should watch a great game of rugby. I hope for running rugby and not too much kicking. With 5 key players injured on our side (Ntamack, Baille, Atonio, Cros and Penaud) and 2 on your side I and various French fans see you as favourites. I obviously hope for another result.


If you are interested you can read a good article in the Guardian on the subject of France-NZ games.

92 Go to comments
K
KB 40 minutes ago
The 'one difference' between Boks and the back-to-back All Blacks

Consistency hasnt been there they have many great players SA were also not unbeaten in the 2023 WC - NZ were in 2015 WC McCaw and Carter Nonu and Smith - SA did not have those Marque players in those postions in 2019 or 2023 - I wouldnt rank them ahead of the 20I5 ABs - They clocked up 60 points against France in the QF - Furthermore I do not believe for one moment SA won 2023 fairly no way - they were so favoured it became obvious that behind the scenes SA the nation bought the title - Their last 3 matches were won by a solitary point there were many contentious decisions that went their way that it became obvious it wasnt coincidence - Sport has been hijacked by a satanic cult just as is Politics

Some players coaches officials and sponsors are involved - they know who they are - its called Freemasonry - any sport that allows betting is corrupt - its not all about money either for these parasites its also about control - Lots of American NFL players have spoken openly about games being scripted - Football is also rigged Referees have been caught on film showing freemason hand signs - The 95 RWC final ranks as the highest and most obvious attempt at cheating There was no way SA were going to allow NZ to gate crash Nelson Mandelas reunification party - NZ were so good they had to posion almost the entire team to get a 3 point win - a Hollywood Movie ( theres your Red Flag ) was made about SAs triumph called Invictus


William Henley wrote a poem called Invictus


It starts


Out of the night that covers me BLACK ( All Blacks ) as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever GODS maybe for my unconquerable Soul ...( Olan says INVICTUS is an evil Malevolent entity who corrupted the Titans ... this is Mandelas double meaning speech ( hes a fraud ) - of thanks for helping overcome SA's adversary NZ - There is only ONE true God Yahuah - Only a false god would be complicit in Cheating Corruption and Harming others to win a RWC for a sick and sinful Nation ) the poem ends with


I am the CAPTAIN of my soul


SA will forever bear the stain of guilt and disgrace over their involvement in poisoning the ABs a day before the 95 RWC Final

10 Go to comments
C
CO 1 hour ago
Forget Ireland, the All Blacks face the real alpha of Europe next

I cannot believe that you don't think the French rugby team coach and captain are not discussing putting Jalibert on the bench in favour of Duponts club teammate that doesn't even play at 10.


This is a terrible, massive insult to a 10 and I'm sure Dupont would also be very enraged if benched for a player that doesn't even play halfback.


A good captain would've insisted to the coach that it was an idea of madness and either select Jalibert or replace him with another 10 if you want him to be reserve.


Jalibert may not be the world's finest tacklers but that's often not a tens main strength that the loose forwards and second five cover. An intercept pass is never great but they happen.


When any player is playing for his club then it's club first, respect doesn't need to be shown to opposition players simply because they're internationals.


Who exactly are you claiming Jalibert hasn't respected? If it's Toulouse international players then it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this bench demotion out.


The outcome of selecting Jalibert to the bench and he then throwing his croissants out the window of the team bus immediately prior to playing the Allblacks is a disaster that will be team disharmony as any team mates of Jalibert are in a state of anger and revolt so a performance that will be sub optimal against a team that is thirsting for revenge against France.


I don't know about you but the Allblacks are very upset they've lost twice in a row to France and want to put out a statement performance so this preparation by Galthie of creating havoc looks to me like a coach that is clueless.

92 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING Four Ireland talking points as Aki axed and two rookies make bench Four Ireland talking points as Aki axed and two rookies make bench
Search