Saints sinner Chris Ashton
This week we will mostly be concerning ourselves with insubordinates, injuries and incredibly bad days...
Northampton seems to bring out both the best and the worst in people: remember the Ben Cohen tantrum when, after years of sweating blood and tears for the club, he suddenly flounced off into the distance in protest at not having been appointed captain.
Then there was the fall-out from the South African revolution, a fall-out which ultimately led to relegation as well as several local players leaving in disgust, among them Matt Dawson.
Now there's the Chris Ashton affair - perhaps it's the fact Ashton is off to a club so strongly linked with South Africa that makes this so unpalatable to the locals too.
Ashton has treated Northampton appallingly. The Saints brought him from league, took the same pressure off him that other places allowed to be heaped on the likes of Lesley Vainikolo and Shontayne Hape, and have fostered him well under a game-plan that suited him. He has returned that parentage with an acrimonious process of desertion which has smacked to the public eye of a deep lack of gratitude and respect.
He clearly knows this. Otherwise he might have been more forthright about this move.
As it is, he has created a rod for his own back, raising the ire of his coach, disappointing a passionate fan base and running the risk of alienating himself from his team-mates. He must now play with team-mates who might doubt his commitment to their cause, particularly if the Saints do come up against Sarries at the business end of the season. And when he does move, he has a lot to prove, for the debate is still open as to whether he is actually that good...
And now the Heineken Cup shenanigans is at an end, it's time to turn attentions to the Six Nations. Except what kind of tournament is it going to be this year?
Not only are the teams - with the glorious exception of Wales - deep in a rebuilding process, they are also short any number of first-choicers through injury.
The only team looking vaguely intact is Ireland, and that's a team with a coach heavily under pressure to inject a little more future vision into his selection. They face the Welsh first up, but that's a Wales side lacking several front-liners as well.
Fact is, the Six Nations will be colourful and as passionate as ever, but in a year blotted by a World Cup, followed by the start of the domestic season, it's also looking like it will be somewhat tired and worn-out by the end. Goodness only knows what the June Tours will be like.
It's about time things like this really got looked at closely. We can understand the horror at this suggestion, but something has to give somewhere. Would it not behoove the northern hemisphere teams to do away with the Six Nations in a World Cup year? Or at least find some way of making sure players don't return from a World Cup, mentally and physically shattered and finding themselves required to raise their intensity for the start of a season before heading into another series of body-busting internationals?
SARU press releases were black comedy central this week.
First off, a press release explaining that some shyster somewhere was booking tables for big SARU parties at fancy restaurants and leaving SARU to foot the bill - using the email address theboks@therugby.co.za. Seriously.
Then came a second press release, explaining that a photo agency had erroneously released pictures of Rassie Erasmus, with the former Western Province Technical Director captioned as 'the new Springbok coach'!
As if that wasn't enough, then came the irritated - and entirely justified - criticism from Peter de Villiers about the staggering length of time it has taken the union to get around to naming a new national coach. Barely a month out from a new Super Rugby season and we're still in the dark.
One can probably assume from all of this the following:
1) Peter de Villiers is not going to retain his job.
2) Rassie Erasmus is going to be in the Bok set-up somewhere.
3) The new coach is going to have a tough first year getting his mission statement across this late in the day.
4) SARU = Secrets Are Really Unkeepable.
5) South African shysters are not quite up to speed when it comes to creating plausible email addresses.
Loose pass compiled by Richard Anderson
Comments
crunchfit says...
@masy171
From what I read, it is not individual acts for which Ashton is disliked. It is his attitude and how he conducts himself on and off the pitch which cause him to be disliked. This is why I dislike the man. If showed a bit of remorse and changed how he acts, I'm sure he'd get more respect. He just has to treat others with respect first.
Posted 13:46 31st January 2012
Chancer says...
Ashton relies on Foden to provide openings, lets see how he performs at sarries without his crutch.
Posted 10:41 27th January 2012
Chancer says...
Ashton relies on Foden to provide openings, lets see how he performs at sarries without his crutch.
Posted 10:41 27th January 2012
genghis_j says...
melkdave - traveled much?
I've been in an Argentinean winter, and spent plenty in NZ and Oz. Yes they have rain and mud. Only last season matches cancelled for snow in NZ. Melbourne, Canberra, bloody freezing at times. Wellington - was at NZ-Ireland in 2008, near hypothermia for players, O'Driscoll couldn't speak at match end due to cold. The myth of 'summer' rugby in winter . . . the only change for 2012 is Dunedin NZ having a covered stadium.
Posted 13:39 26th January 2012
Herbman says...
To all of you going on about heritage and why that makes the 6N a better tournament: nobody really gives a toss, that's your heritage not mine. Lets just play rugby.
Posted 08:29 26th January 2012
7ton says...
Sincero
What an idiot
Posted 22:52 24th January 2012
startledwombat says...
> its raining cold and the mud is around your ankles
Ah! Any Saturday in July in Canberra has this, with optional hail!
Posted 20:09 24th January 2012
ShamanSheep says...
The criticism of the 6N is entirely fair - the rugby is, at times, shocking, regardless of the weather - and i'm not from the SH. In terms of tradition its miles ahead of the 3N - but so is everything else - I mean your not going to pick up a great masterpiece of a painting from 17th century Australia or New Zealand, because there are none, likewise a history of conflict between New Zealand and South Africa does not exist. The rugby and the tradition are two separate things and should be treated as such; the only one in our control is the rugby - and I'd like to see some good basic skills, good decision making and good kicking from hand, which hasn't happened recently. Also, is it too much to ask for France to play some attractive rugby again? If there was a bit more ambition shown in the 6N I think the NH would be a whole lot better off come the next World Cup.
Posted 17:35 24th January 2012
melkdave says...
Its a bit of a howler for the SH fans to complain about the quality of rugby in the 6Ns imo .They seem to forget its played in our winter so its usually cold and wet conditions due to the geography of the counties .They also forget that apart from NZ super rugby and 3Ns matches (now The Rugby Championship ) are played in better conditions usually warm - dry and hard / firm grounds conducive to high tempo running rugby due to where Australia and SA and now Argentina are .Its very easy to play open expansive rugby in warm dry conditions on firm ground rather than when its raining cold and the mud is around your ankles just ask the NZ fans
Posted 15:54 24th January 2012
Sincero says...
The Six Nations is the greatest and most historic international rugby tournament. The World Cup is 5-minutes old, the format is a mess and the end result last time was fixed by Paddy O'Brien and his ref-on-a-string Joubert. It's a question of sport versus money and massive corruption.
I'd say instead of cancelling the 6N in four years, flush the WC.
Posted 14:14 24th January 2012
JDC1 says...
The 6N has definitely lost some of its appeal over recent years, but to suggest getting rid of it in a World Cup year is a bit ridiculous. I¿m sure that this was only said to spark some debate and sure why not do away with the Tri Nations in a World Cup year while you¿re at it?
What I would like to see going is some of the meaningless and financially motivated November Internationals instead. In the 6N, your competitors visit your shores once every two years and vice versa. On that basis, we have seen more of the Southern Hemisphere teams here in recent years than our own neighbours, which has taken some of the magic out of International rugby (just because there is too much being played). When the mighty All Blacks used to show up once every decade or so, it was a momentous occasion. I¿m not saying the SH teams visits should be that rare, but they certainly could be reduced to once every three or four years.
Posted 13:44 24th January 2012
Ybgurrrrr says...
So the southern hemisphere thinks the 6N is rubbish? Aside from the obvious shout of, "well don't watch it then," could I suggest that this is a bit like a little boy calling a girl names because he cannot pluck up the courage to ask her out. It has more herritage than any other rugby tournament and you're jealous, get over it.
On the point of the quality of the rugby, I think there is just a massive issue with the quality of officiating. Teams just play to win under the laws as they are applied, a fact highlighted by Charlie "Dull" Hodgson's comment this week.
Posted 12:56 24th January 2012
wazsere says...
@startledwombat ...
in the 12 years of the tournament France have won it 5, england 4, wales 2, Ireland once with the last 4 tournaments having 4 different winners ... when did you last watch the tournament?? In the same period New Zealand have won the Tri-Nations 7 times.
Both are wonderful tournaments but the 6N's shades it for me because you only play your opponents once giving each match a cup-tie feel and because of the close proximity of the competing nations the traveling support makes for a wonderful event before, during & after a match. There's no doubt in my mind that the best teams play for the tri-nations but the best competition is the 6N's (closely followed by the Heineken Cup rapidly closing the gap on the 6N's)
Posted 12:46 24th January 2012
lawynd says...
@masy171 - The Tuilagi brothers, in general, epitomise Pacific Island rugby; they play hard and, occasionally, make late or high hits; you could almost say it's cultural, as they're certainly not the only ones who play in this mould (Chris Hala'ufia, anyone?). It doesn't make it right, but Ashton's antics go beyond that sort of (usually) relatively minor niggle. The swan dives I tried to defend at first, but to be honest I can understand why other people dislike them, as he's celebrating a try he hasn't actually scored yet. Plus, everyone talks about professionalism making it ok for him to move to a different employer; well the same thing behoves him to get the job done first before he starts monkeying around. I can guarantee Sarries won't tolerate that sort of showboating.
Then there's the hair pulling incident, which you can't explain away as it 'not being ballet'; "Only girls pull hair," is something I learnt on the playground, so he should damn well know better. And finally there's the rather unsavoury behaviour in the team hotel with the female member of staff; I don't care if he (and the others) were innocent or not, I care that they put themselves in a position to be shot at by the press and supporters the world over.
As for his ability, yes, he runs some excellent lines and has searing pace and has scored a lot of tries; I don't subscribe to the caveats everyone are making about who he has scored against because you need to examine the whole England performance against each of those teams; No, he hasn't scored a try against NZ but then, how often have England scored a try at all against the All Blacks in recent years? But you can definitely question his commitment, especially defensively; the howler against Scarlets isn't the first time he's simply given up, and his tackle on Matt Smith, who then carried him 15m meters to the try-line, was hideous.
Posted 11:38 24th January 2012
startledwombat says...
>6N a boring case of who can stop France again
History appears to be showing that this phrase applies equally well to the World Cup!
************
Mr Anderson - thank you for reporting Peter de Villiers's comments. It seems, for once, that Mr de Villiers has actually managed to hit the nail on the head. Or at least something that looks like a nail, with something that looks like a non-glancing blow.
Posted 10:42 24th January 2012
pog_mahone says...
NHsaints - where's that extra flair going to come from then? The last mile is the hardest and I don't see it coming through the Premiership.
Posted 08:38 24th January 2012
masy171 says...
The review on Ashton seems very much one sided. I agree with some of the previous comments, it's a professional game now. Ashton made his intentions clear early on by not resigning.
As for him being a thug, to steal a quote, it isn't ballet! Or have people forgotten Tuilagi's in the air hit on Cueto at Twickenham, Corey Janes drunken misdemeanours out in NZ. People make mistakes and require support rather than being lambasted!
Ashton has been given the opportunity to reunite with Andy Farrell and his mate Tompkins fom Wigan. That's (for now) the England backs coach, and the majority of what could be the starting line up in Hodgson, Barret, Farrell and Strettle! For his game and advancement it seems like a pretty smart decision!!
Posted 08:33 24th January 2012
ShamanSheep says...
The 6 nations has been pretty poor for a long time now - it seems the standard of rugby is dragged down to the lowest common denominator in the tournament - just look at the difference in Wales's performances last year and in the WC - this does seem to indicate it's at the wrong time of year. Hopefully a week in Poland will do the trick for Wales but I can't see us winning - as soon as we're back in the bubble and playing for the regions it just never seems to happen for us internationally, having said that we're a lot better side than anyone on here is giving us credit for.
Regarding Ashton, he's a good finisher and runs some good lines from his 10 but has nobody noticed how truly terrible his defence is? He's a poor tackler and he can't position himself defensively at all, no doubt he will improve but against a top side he can be a liability
Posted 08:11 24th January 2012
wazsere says...
I think you're being very harsh on Ashton here - Northampton had the chance to match/beat any offer from Sarries but made it clear they wouldn't. Is the author of this article seriously suggesting that s/he would NOT join a competitive publication if s/he were offered more money?? Whilst it's noble to try and appeal to other factors (loyalty, Saints "saving" him from Rugby League etc etc ..) the reality is since professionalism came along he is merely an employee of Northampton and free to chose who he works for based on the best terms for him and his family. (Lets see all journalist's forced to work for one publication all their careers and having to retire in their early 30's !!!) the snide remark of "is he actually that good", well, actually, yes he probably is - top scorer in the last 6N's, top scorer at RWC '11, 33 trys in 55 games in RL, 88 try's in 99 games with Northampton, 15 try's in 18 games with england, represented his country in both codes and he's what? 24? .. is he that good? err, I think so. Is he Mr. Popular, certainly not but to questions his ability given his record is rather silly - if I were a Saints fan I think i would be aiming my hostility at the Club for failing to retain a player of his quality and not for the player legitimately walking away ..
Posted 07:18 24th January 2012
liam2me says...
France and Ireland will be slugging it out for top spot. Wales aren't consistant enough and missing big players will probably come 3rd. England could lose to Scotland on opening day and Italy in Rome which would be hilarious. So all in all i reckon:
France
Ireland
Wales
Scotland
England
Italy
No slam
Posted 00:48 24th January 2012