Ashton in record bid after latest hat-trick
Chris Ashton took a giant leap towards an all-time record yesterday with his second hat-trick of tries of the season. He took his total to 17 tries in a 43-5 win for Toulon over a hapless Stade Francais.
Clear in his sights now is the mark of 21 set nine years ago by Fijian winger Napolioni Nalaga in the colours of Clermont.
And, given his penchant for scoring in clusters, Ashton looks almost certain to obliterate the record if his fitness holds out.
Ashton had previously scored three against Agen and two each against Pau, Brive and Lyon. His terrorising of defences has made him a firm favourite with Toulon fans.
They adore his showboating Ash Splash to which he treated them for his second try under the posts. Both of the others were engineered by Fijian co-winger Semi Radrada who has been signed by Bordeaux-Begles for next season.
Ashton was not the only Englishman enjoying a big day at Toulon. The other was Bath lock Dave Attwood on loan until the end of the season.
After ten months without playing because of serious knee trouble, Attwood made a comeback that had fans all-of-a-twitter with compliments. He lasted more than an hour to set in motion the relaunch of a career which he hopes will lead to a World Cup place with England.
Toulon president Mourad Boudjellal said: “He knows, if he can regain his best form, he will not be far from the World Cup. In fact, that is his main objective.”
Boudjellal added that Attwood would return to Bath under the terms of his loan deal but that he could support Toulon’s European ambitions before that as his previous injuries had prevented him playing in the Champions Cup.
Ashton’s tries all came in the first half. The other three came from centre Mathieu Bastareaud on his return from suspension for making a homophobic remark, scrum-half Eric Escande and back rower Raphael Lakafia who played for Stade last season.
Just like Toulon full-back Hugo Bonneval. No doubt they feel they made a timely exit with Stade’s Top 14 status now under serious threat. They have now conceded 85 points, scoring only ten, in their last two games.
And they even fielded centre Jonathan Dante and flanker Sekou Macalou, two of the French international miscreants interviewed by police after a night out in Edinburgh. Others, like Toulon fly-half Anthony Belleau, lost both their club and country places over the scandal.
It could have been worse for Stade if Agen, just three points behind them in a potential relegation spot, had been able to build some resistance at home to Toulouse. But, after conceding 71 points to Lyon, they crumbled to a 52-25 defeat by conceding eight tries.
An interesting period for Gael Fickou, recalled for the Six Nations match against Italy to replace disgraced centres Dante and Remy Lamerat. After creating an opening try for flanker Louis-Benoit Madaule, he was yellow-carded for tackling without the ball.
He then returned to score a hattrick of tries either side of half-time as Toulouse put the season-long loss of brilliant scrum-half Antoine Dupont through injury behind them. They are to sign Toulon youngster Anthony Meric to replace him.
The size of this defeat could finish Agen off. Especially as the match was a derby eagerly awaited by their fans. They must now be fancied to finish in 13th place and, under new rules, would face a play-off with the secondplaced team in Division Two.
Toulouse scored further tries through winger Yoann Huget, twice, forward Joe Tekori and flanker Francois Cros. Three late Agen strikes from South African centre Johann Sadie, twice, and Aussie lock Tom Murday provoked only feelings of regret. Especially as Brive, just above them, managed to scrape a defensive bonus point from a 21-16 defeat at home to Pau, who thus won their third game in a row and the second on the road.
Watisoni Votu, Pau’s Fijian winger, scored both of their tries, his second owing much to English forward Steffon Armitage. Any chance Brive had of catching up were sacrificed by their hooker Francois Da Ros who headbutted Votu towards the close and was sent off.
Montpellier winger Nemani Nadolo scored two tries during a 43-30 win at doomed bottom club Oyonnax to trail Ashton by just three.
Oyonnax gave the leaders a few minutes of discomfort towards the close before their bonus point was safe as their Aussie centre Ulupanu Seuteni scored a third try to set up a grandstand finish.
Lyon saw off Clermont in the late game with tries from Toby Arnold, Mike Harris and Baptiste Couilloud.
“Ashton’s terrorising of defences has made him a firm favourite with Toulon fans”