Ashton signs on to mixed reception
The headline writers in Toulon are giving Chris Ashton the name of Superman. Just as though he has stepped out of the comic-book hero’s red and blue tunic to don their own red and black.
That was their reaction to his official arrival among them on Wednesday and, of course, his famous flying touchdowns were the centre of attention.
“I can understand that my leaps can irritate some,” he said. “But it is like everything. There are two sides to the coin.
“There are a lot of kids who come to see me and say they like it and, for me, that outweighs the people who don’t.”
Thereby serving notice that his move to the Top 14 will not inhibit him when it comes to an aerial crossing of the try-line.
The flamboyant gesture is bound to increase the pressure on Ashton to equal or surpass the success of other English backs like Nick Abendanon and David Strettle with champions Clermont.
Especially since show-boating does not please all of the locals or, for that matter, French rugby fans in general.
Evidence for that lies in the jeering and outright hostility that greeted Delon Armitage for appearing to belittle opponents in Toulon’s colours.
One of their fans responded to Ashton’s opening Press conference by scolding: “He will have Toulon detested on every ground in the Top 14.”
Another, regretting the loss of Aussie winger David Smith, who has scored 24 tries in two seasons for Castres, reckoned: “I would rather have had Smith back than this arrogant Englishman.”
Just as well perhaps that Ashton abandoned his French lessons weeks ago because he did not feel capable of learning the language that way. There were, however, plenty of good wishes coming his way from supporters who see him as the kingpin of their new recruits.
Ashton met other players new to Toulon. Like former Toulouse back Luke McAlister, fly-half Jonathan Wisniewski (ex-Grenoble), back rower Raphael Lakafia and full-back Hugo Bonneval, a pair of friends from Stade Francais, and Argentine flanker Facundo Isa, from Lyon.
And this week he will shake hands with Vincent Clerc, the winger whose record number of European tries he surpassed with his 37th score in the Champions Cup Final win over Clermont.
These men are his future under the guidance of new manager Fabien Galthie and his coaching team of one-time hooker Fabrice Landreau, who had a brief spell with Bristol, ex-Aussie international fly-half Manny Edmonds, who played for Perpignan and Bayonne, and Marc Dal Maso, the only survivor from Richard Cockerill’s brief stay.
England, for whom Ashton scored 19 tries in 39 appearances, is most certainly his past.
As he made clear when revealing he had not spoken to England boss Eddie Jones, who had telephoned him and left a message. Whatever it contained, evidently, did not elicit a response from him.
Seems fatuous that professional sportsmen should suffer criticism these days that they have changed jobs for a fatter pay packet.
But Ashton brushed aside the question, saying: “The money obviously came into account, but it is not the main reason.
“When you watch Toulon on TV and see the players who have been here and those who still are, it makes you want to play here.
“Then there is the atmosphere, the fervour. It is huge and definitely played a part in my decision.”
It makes perfect sense, in fact, for a player of 30 rejected by his country over disciplinary problems to seek a new life in another.
Ashton, in fact, said he had been approached by Toulon president Mourad Boudjellal just after he had been hit by his latest ban.
He joked about coming to Toulon to work on his tan, his fair-skinned face having already turned a shade of beetroot in the Mediterranean sun and his ambition to play till the age of 45.
Apart from one fan who warned him against thinking he was coming to Club Med, his banter went down not too badly.
And, if he is able to refute the complaint of another that he is three years past his best, his spring-heeled exploits will go down a treat for most people at Stade Mayol.
A chemist used by Toulon has been sentenced to two years in jail and another two suspended for defrauding a government health service of about £120,000 between 2012 and 2014.
The chemist was also fined £44,000 and banned from the profession for five years.
He had falsified prescriptions from 27 doctors, including Pascale Lambrechts, the former Toulon doctor, who had ordered medical products from him for 33 Toulon players.
There is nothing to suggest these prescriptions were not perfectly valid.