Apart from the fact that he along with quite a few others in the second tier were and are paid.


Like I said, it won't be long till he walks out at Twickers. If the England backs start dropping fly like as the forwards have then he could well be there or there abouts for the six nations next year.

rlhttp://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/rugby_union/article6951060.ecerl

Another excellent article concerning all the former RL players now holding down defensive coaching roles at RU clubs.

The impact former RL players have had on Ru can’t be ignored. IMO not only did they bring new ideas of thinking but players and coaches from RL like Edwards and Jason Robinson showed them what professional athletes looked like as well.

It’s not only at club level with again Edwards introducing the blitz defence which took European rugby by storm and made Wasps a major force but it’s had a massive impact on their international game as well.

John Muggleton led Australia to the world cup in 1999- Larder built England’s brick wall defence in 2003 that’s two of the past three world cups which have been won with and RL influence.

I can’t help but look at the list at the bottom of the article and be angry that people like McRae and Cullen continue to move from job to job when there is so much talent we just don’t give a chance plying their trade in a sport in direct comp with our own.

Why?

What difference is there from players like Bridge or Long playing for England in RL? One has previous history with the law and the other has one of the biggest ego’s and attitudes in world sport? I’m sure others can name far more as well.

In the cut throat world of international RL you pick the best guys for the job.

Because they a) have a far larger pool of players than we (RL) do and b) if you believe the press have an unending pot of cash with which to develop that pool of players.

The fly in that ointment is that they are constantly targeting RL for players and were it not for the contributions of a RL great and some RL coaches would have lost the world cup final in 2003 so they may have a larger pool but the quality and talent is dreadful.

Getting back to Ashton though my mate says he could be the best back they have had in the last 10 to 15 years which is some claim when you look at the backs Nothampton have had in that time.

To be honest good luck to him but I honestly don't care about him.

Quite, but like I said it is still very much an amateur competition. I mean in terms of standard, I'd even wager that 'quite a few' substantially payed players are just from the GP relegated team.

Might be on my own here but I for one am still a little mift that we lost him. Yes he may have had some attitude problems but they'd have soon been ironed out by his peers and the coaching staff, and likewise with the frailties within his game we could have rectified those overtime.

If the club ever had the choice of bringing him back I'd have no issue with it, we all make mistakes particularly when young.

Not on your own. I would take him back n'all.

If he had stayed we wouldnt have had to put up with Mathers

It's hard to make a judgement on him overall because we don't know the in's and out's of him and just how bad his attitude is. If the club felt he was managable on that side of things theres no doubt he's got huge talent. Some of the things he did with ball in hand for us were fantastic and he was so exciting to watch.

I doubt us having room playing wise to fit him in for 2010 but if he were available for the year after and we had a space i'd be tempted. He has pace to burn and can beat people for fun..........thats something any side could do with.

I know that there has always been talk of Ashtons poor attitude, but what actually happened?. Does Rad's make any mention of it in his Biography?.

I am not saying that he never has a bad attitude, no smoke without fire. what i want to hear is all the juicy gossip!!

PM's appreciated

Just liked to blow his own trumpet rather than keep his feet on the ground. Might of been one of the ones Rads was talking about when he mentioned young lads walking around town as if they were "Johnny Big Time" cos they'd played a few first team games. I appreciate confidence in yourself, all the top players have it but not cockiness and thinking your more special than you are. With a better coach he'd changed in a flash

large pool but poor quality and all the money is doing is overpaying average players, just look at england all high earners but shocking in respect to basic rugby skills.

I know Phil Bailey punched him at the Oasis gig in Manchester this year because he was being a coc[ik[/i..

(this is piemandan, but my Dad didn't log out.. Makes more sense coming from him though)

The problem is if he became disruptive to the team and upset the balance of the squad.

Players like Long are prime pr!cks and he is not the only one but usually they are the joker and despite there ego are loved by there team mates/peers even if some of there opponents and fans cannot stand them.

I have a feeling the bad attitude is one more born out of his interactions with the fans, he seems to be a pretty popular member of the Northampton squad from what i have heard.

I understand that his attitude at Wigan was not the best, his ego was causing disruption but sadly it was allowed to, in my opinion in Union he has been treated in far better way, ie dropped when he seemed to be getting too big for his boots.

In my opinion he has been a great loss to Wigan and our code. I doubt under the new regime he would have been allowed to become a disruption to the squad that it is claimed he became.

Britain lacks true athletes in our code and when we find one, they are invariable linked to Union or head to Union, and the concern is that this is happening when they are still developing.