CHEW AGAIN!
Sarries wing faces another ban after 'biting' accusation
CHRIS ASHTON is in trouble yet again after he was accused of biting Northampton prop Alex Waller in a stormy encounter.
Waller and Ashton tangled in the first half and the Saints' man told referee Greg Garner he had been a victim of foul play as the team ran off for the break.
Wing Ashton (below) served a 10- week ban for gouging last season – wrecking his chances of playing in the Six Nations and is set for another spell on the side lines if he is found guilty.
Citing officer, former England flanker Mike Rafter, has got 24 hours from the end of the match to decide if Ashton has a case to answer — and video evidence shows he does.
England captain Dylan Hartley served a six-month ban for biting, one of the most hated crimes in rugby, and Ashton is set for something similar after his latest shocker.
Waller told his coaches he had been bitten and Ashton looks likely to be up in front of the beak.
Boss Jim Mallinder said: “He just repeated what he said to the referee in that ‘I've been bitten on the hand' yeah.'
Sarries' boss Mark McCall said: “I have heard the accusations but not seen the incident. These things will run their course but there is a chance Chris will be cited as a result of what happened.”
And there was bad news for Northampton when England centre Luther Burrell was sparked in a sickening collision with Brad Barritt. Burrell left the ground in an ambulance and with an oxygen mask on.
Waller could be facing a rap of hisis own after he was binned in the second half for a spear tackle on Jamie George, on 55 minutess leaving Saints in tatters as their game collapsed. And they weren't helped when Sam Dickinson got another yellow near the death for killing the ball. M Mallinder added: “They are to tough enough to beat when y you have got 15 men but if you are down to 14 men for 20 minutes you are really up against it. "We put them under p pressure and we were beginning to get into them. Then we had a moment of madness from Alex and that was our downfall.”
Northampton were all square at 9-9 at the break and had got it to 12-9 before Waller's brain fade.
With Saints down to 14 men Saracens stuck their foot on their throat and did not let go.
First a line-out move straight off the training ground saw Jamie George go over after Maro Itoje's catch and Billy Vunipola's pass. Then Northampton could not defend a driving line- out and conceded a penalty try leaving it at 21-12 and game over.
Alex Lozowski nailed a couple of late penalties to add some gloss to the score line for the champions.