Ahston should stop just stop tackling...I mean talking

First topic message reminder :

Whinge whinge whinge

Saracens and England winger Chris Ashton admitted that selection for the British and Irish Lions weighed on his mind all season.



Tipped by many to be selected throughout the season, Ashton was left out of Warren Gatland's squad to tour Australia last week.


Alex Cuthbert, Tommy Bowe, George North and Sean Maitland were all selected ahead of Ashton, who suffered a poor Six Nations campaign with England.


With Saracens in the Aviva Premiership playoffs and England's tour to Argentina on the horizon, Ashton admitted that the prospect of playing for the Lions had been a distraction.


"The Lions has been in the back of my mind all year and it's done my head in a little bit," said Ashton to the Mirror.


"You know it's coming and because it's something you so much want to be a part of, it kind of distracts you.


"It shouldn't, it should motivate you to play better. But sometimes that makes you over-keen and want to do too much."


Insert violin smiley

thebluesmancometh wrote:

beshocked wrote:

thebluesmancometh wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:

Knackeredknees wrote:
But then you have to ask yourself, if North and Cuthberu are these rugby gods and the best wingers every to grace the game. why cant the score againt Italy etc?

They can but I dont think they have played against Georgia and Romania etc.

Ashton's 4 tries in one game v Italy was great but Id rather a player who scores crucial tries in big games such as North's effort v France in the 6N or Cuthbert's 6N and grand slam clinching tries of the last couple of seasons.

Not to mention Cuthbert run Aus ragged last summer, on their own turf scored a few tries in a losing team...

Not sure how this got to Wales V England AGAIN, but it's getting rather pathetic.

I agree with the comment re Bowe though, Ashton had a decent game and rounded Bowe to score, very very easily!

Perhaps maybe if you Welsh refrained for slagging off an English player for once your rugby deities would not be dragged into the discussion.

Also comparing Ashton to North and Cuthbert is relevant because they got picked for the Lions whereas he didn't.

Gun germs not saying Ashton deserves to be picked but sick of all the criticism for Ashton - most of it coming from the Welsh posters.

I suggest you re read my comments, I have defended the guy as a viable lions option on numerous occasions, as I have above, and even pointed out how he played v Bowe and rounded him easily when he came off the bench, so before you accuse the Welsh of slagging him off maybe you should make sure you understand what is being wrote about him in the first place.

thebluesmancometh I apologise.

It's just munkian's title and opening are quite provocative. Ashton surely should not be a topic of conservation anyway - his comments are hardly contraversial.

munkian wrote:Princess Diana actually

Well it's a fair comparison, both popular and great with the home fans, but have a nightmare when it comes to playing in Europe...

Biltong wrote:I spent 15 minutes writing Ashton a song and nobody mappreciates mu efforts.

I feel about as much loved as Ashton.

I enjoyed it Bilt, these kids are far too focused on 'my toy's better than yours' to appreciate art

thebluesmancometh wrote:
I have to say I don't dislike the swan as much as most on here, it adds an element to his performance.

I think his biggest problem was his entrance to the international stage, he exploded on the stage and the media made him a poster boy, he hasn't really gotten over that entrance and has failed to live up to his billing, when he was having nightmare after nightmare this year he shouldve been dropped for better wingers (but the same could be said of Brown) Ashton was made undroppable, and he and England suffered for it.

It's hard to criticise his club form though, that is still up there and Sarries will be pretty happy.

The swan is like anything flashy in professional sport, white boots, dyed hair, fake tan etc. Its going to attract attention. If you cant back up the flash with some consistent high quality performances you will be ridiculed. Thats just how it is. Best policy is to just focus on your game IMO.

Looseheaded wrote:

Biltong wrote:I spent 15 minutes writing Ashton a song and nobody mappreciates mu efforts.

I feel about as much loved as Ashton.

I enjoyed it Bilt, these kids are far too focused on 'my toy's better than yours' to appreciate art

thanks mate, you're so right.

beshocked wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:

beshocked wrote:

munkian wrote:His attempt at honesty is better than his attempt at being an International winger

At least Ashton has a better strike rate and has scored more tries than both the giant wingers who happen to play for Wales (despite being born in England).

31 caps for North - 12 tries (1 vs the Barbarians).

18 caps for Cuthbert - 9 tries

30 caps for Ashton - 17 tries.


Interestingly no mention of North's dry patch. Last 14 games just 2 tries. Ashton has done better than that despite his own dry patch.


Ashton gets criticised but he outclassed Bowe in their recent encounter. You might say but Bowe was half fit - yet he is picked for the Lions.....

Ashton didnt out class Bowe. Bowe looked a class apart when he came on for a very short period after a long period of injury.

Ashton's try scoring record is a little bit deceptive. 9 of his tries came against Italy, Georgia and Romania. George North by contrast has scored all his tries v big teams bar 2 v Namibia. Same with Cuthbert who has scored 2 v Italy but all other tries have come against top teams.

Both Cuthbert and indeed Bowe are all big game players. Not sure Ashton is.

You mean a class below everyone on the pitch I presume?

Ashton easily outpaced Bowe for a try. Bowe shouldn't have been picked as he obviously wasn't match fit. Is he match fit now?

Fiji and the Barbarians count as big teams do they? I didn't even know tries vs the Barbarians counted towards a players' tally.

Italy aren't a bad side. Beat France and Ireland this year.

Ashton has scored vs Australia x2, NZ and Wales x 2, Scotland x2 so he's not that bad is he?

He actually has 3 v Aus (one away). Kudos for holding your own in hell, Beshocked.

I wouldn't bother if I were you.

Biltong wrote:I spent 15 minutes writing Ashton a song and nobody mappreciates mu efforts.

I feel about as much loved as Ashton.

It's shoite but well done...you could be South Africa's first song writer to enter Eurovision

Well to be fair I had little to work with.

beshocked wrote:

thebluesmancometh wrote:

beshocked wrote:

thebluesmancometh wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:

Knackeredknees wrote:
But then you have to ask yourself, if North and Cuthberu are these rugby gods and the best wingers every to grace the game. why cant the score againt Italy etc?

They can but I dont think they have played against Georgia and Romania etc.

Ashton's 4 tries in one game v Italy was great but Id rather a player who scores crucial tries in big games such as North's effort v France in the 6N or Cuthbert's 6N and grand slam clinching tries of the last couple of seasons.

Not to mention Cuthbert run Aus ragged last summer, on their own turf scored a few tries in a losing team...

Not sure how this got to Wales V England AGAIN, but it's getting rather pathetic.

I agree with the comment re Bowe though, Ashton had a decent game and rounded Bowe to score, very very easily!

Perhaps maybe if you Welsh refrained for slagging off an English player for once your rugby deities would not be dragged into the discussion.

Also comparing Ashton to North and Cuthbert is relevant because they got picked for the Lions whereas he didn't.

Gun germs not saying Ashton deserves to be picked but sick of all the criticism for Ashton - most of it coming from the Welsh posters.

I suggest you re read my comments, I have defended the guy as a viable lions option on numerous occasions, as I have above, and even pointed out how he played v Bowe and rounded him easily when he came off the bench, so before you accuse the Welsh of slagging him off maybe you should make sure you understand what is being wrote about him in the first place.

thebluesmancometh I apologise.

It's just munkian's title and opening are quite provocative. Ashton surely should not be a topic of conservation anyway - his comments are hardly contraversial.

There's plenty don't want him 'conserving' by the sound of it.