Is Chris Ashton the most underrated winger in Europe?

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Now I am sure many of you will say oh look Beshocked is being ridiculous.

Chris Ashton can't tackle etc. Why is it that players like Easter,Cipriani and Haskell are allowed a shot at redemption when in good form yet when Ashton is in good form he's not given the same credit?


Many posters on here seem to believe that the likes of Yarde,Nowell,Rokodiguini and May are far superior to Ashton. I disagree. Only one of them is in as good form and that's Nowell - he's a completely different player to Ashton.

Ashton IMO is a more potent match winner than Nowell - Nowell is the more solid option but he's not going to help destroy sides.

Chris Ashton is a player who has been much improved this season - his kicking for touch has improved, he's more solid under the high ball and his tackling is better. Of course he's also been very influential in key wins against Clermont,Bath and Munster.

It's strange that a winger can hold his own easily against classy rivals in Europe like Zebo,Bowe,Guildford and Huget yet is seen as not good enough for England. He even humiliated Yarde earlier in the season when Yarde strolled back, Ashton gobbled up the ball.

Two seasons ago he skinned Bowe - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A76rLc2TMjI


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lIWtDPuNYA - Ashton's highlights

doctor_grey wrote:Another of Ashton's strengths is that we know he can take a good punch.

Though the chin is offset by his hair-pulling fighting style.

LondonTiger wrote:

doctor_grey wrote:Another of Ashton's strengths is that we know he can take a good punch.

Though the chin is offset by his hair-pulling fighting style.

details, details, details.............

yappysnap wrote:Haskell's power in the tackle is brilliant, he knocks opposition players back nearly every time and is very good at holding them up to get the turn over. This is key as most of our other forwards go for quantity over quality so make a lot of tackles but generally lose ground in them each time.

He's probably one of our best players, but like others before him has a reputation (rightly or wrongly) and can't shake it, no matter how well he plays.

He's definitely not stupid though.

Absolutely. His dropping in the WC for Moody was ridiculous. Glad he's back. Not an absolute world beater but a proper physical presence and something we badly missed with Wood there.

I think Varndell and Strettle are both more underrated than Ashton.

Is Ashton the most underrated winger in Europe?

No, he's not.

There are plenty of other wingers who are more underrated than him, who haven't had the opportunities he's had, the publicity he's achieved, or the chances he's been given.

If you'd asked "most overrated", then he's in with a shout.

Matt Jess at Chiefs is probably the most underestimated winger in England... played National league rugby for Redruth in Cornwall in his early 20's, moved to Exeter at 23 and has been a ever present in the team ever since seeing off International wingers like Vainakolo and Tom James to keep his place.