Ashton out of Tigers squad for semi-final
CARD RESCINDED TOO LATE FOR VETERAN WINGER AS LEICESTER SEEK A RARE VICTORY OVER SHARKS
CHRIS Ashton has been left out of the Leicester Tigers squad for Sunday’s Gallagher Premiership semifinal despite successfully appealing a red card.
The 36-year-old was dismissed in the final round clash with Harlequins and a ban would have ruled him out of the trip to Sale Sharks and the final a fortnight later if Tigers are successful at the AJ Bell.
After a five-hour hearing, the former England international’s red card was reduced to a yellow. But it may have come too late on Thursday with Tigers naming their team on Friday.
Instead, Anthony Watson and Freddie Steward come back into the team that missed out against Quins, with Harry Potter keeping his place on the left wing and Mike Brown misses out completely.
George Martin comes back into the pack with Harry Wells moving to the bench and Matt Scott partners Dan Kelly in midfield.
On the bench, James Cronin is in line for a return from injury while Guy Porter, who made his own comeback last week, is also among the replacements.
Tigers have won just once in their last nine games against Sale, including three successive defeats this season, and not come away with a victory from the AJ Bell in more than five years.
Head coach Richard Wigglesworth said: “Their home record is impressive; it has been a big talking point out of the club all season, what they want to do in the north for the game and to have only lost a couple of games in all competitions at the AJ Bell is something that they take great pride in.
“It hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for us for a long time, having not won there in more than five years, and coming away from Sale without a win this season in two games.
“That’s a challenge we know we have to face. Being the away side in a semi-final is tough enough but it’s a challenge we are looking forward to taking on.”
Sale have selected former Tigers stars George Ford and Manu Tuilagi in their starting line-up while both Curry brothers, Tom and Ben, feature on a back row that includes Jono Ross – who will be playing his last home game ahead of retirement.
A win away at one of his former clubs Sale would pave the way for Wigglesworth to potentially sign off his time at Tigers against another old employer, Saracens – a repeat of last year’s final when he won the Premiership for a seventh time.
“What we have always done in my time at Tigers is look at what’s in front us and not beyond it, nor what is behind us,” Wigglesworth said. “The only game that matters is your next one.
“Our next game is Sale Sharks away and so it’s all we will be focused on.
“Anything we have done already this season is behind us, the way we prepare this week doesn’t change in terms of how we try and work hard every day to be the best prepared we can be for the next opposition we face.”
TIGERS: 15 Freddie Steward, 14 Anthony Watson, 13 Matt Scott, 12 Dan Kelly, 11 Harry Potter, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Ben Youngs; 1 Tom West, 2 Julián Montoya (c), 3 Dan Cole, 4 George Martin, 5 Cameron Henderson, 6 Hanro Liebenberg, 7 Tommy Reffell, 8 Jasper Wiese Replacements: 16 Charlie Clare, 17 James Cronin, 18 Joe Heyes, 19 Harry Wells, 20 Olly Cracknell, 21 Jack van Poortvliet, 22 Jimmy Gopperth, 23 Guy Porter