Ashton's Alive And Kicking At Full-back

Chris Ashton hasn’t always shown the fancy kicking that helped Toulon secure a bonus-enhanced victory over Bordeaux-Begles yesterday.

In fact, the last time he played full-back there, he gifted a Champions Cup try to Bath with a horribly-skewed attempted clearance in early December.

Now Toulon fans are thrilled to bits to see his talented boots in action when taking up that position for the first time since the unhappy fiasco.

Not exactly Cristiano Ronaldo, but, all the same, a deft chip from the turf bamboozled Bordeaux and allowed Ashton to sprint 25 metres to register his 14th try in the Top 14 this season.

He maintained his lead over all other championship try-scorers during a 3612 win that opened a significant gap ahead of Bordeaux, who had trailed them by just one point.

Ashton, criticised by Saracens for leaving them, has become a crowd favourite and, with backs like ex-All Black Ma’ Nonu and powerful Fijians Josua Tuisove and Semi Radrada around him, he looks in his element.

Bordeaux’s new team boss, Rory Teague, must have feared losing with his team shorn of key players on France training duty or injured.

But even he cannot have suspected Toulon would have four tries in half an hour to lead 26-0 with a bonus point within reach.

One-time Rugby League star Radrada started the rout, then came Ashton’s thrust followed by tries from flanker Raphael Lakafia and Tuisova.