Latest news with #ChrisAshton
BBC News
19-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Watch: Lions Tour
Tulsen Tollett brings first test reaction as he's joined by 2005 British and Irish Lion Tom Shanklin, BBC rugby union correspondent Chris Jones and Former England winger Chris Ashton.
BBC News
19-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Australia's players seemed happy to mingle with Lions'
Former England wing Chris Ashton - "In the post match, Australia's players were mixing and mingling with the Lions, they seemed really happy. I cannot get my head around (that), it seems they are almost happy that the Lions are there."
BBC News
09-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Rugby Union Weekly: Lions beat Brumbies but was it convincing?
Another win for the British and Irish Lions in Australia – a fourth straight victory. This time it was against the ACT Brumbies where it finished 36-24 – with what many some called a mixed performance by Andy Farrell's men. Correspondent Chris Jones, former England wing Chris Ashton and 1997 Lion Paul Grayson break down where things looked good for the Lions and where improvements could be is not seeing progression as quickly as he would like and asks if some players are feeling the pressure. The guys try and answer some all important questions too – from do teams need an identity, is the Number 7 position still wide open and who's nailed on for the Test team?You can listen to the podcast here.
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Lions must 'strip back' intricate gameplan
The British and Irish Lions would benefit from "stripping things back" and adopting a more simple style of play, says former England wing Chris Ashton. The Lions made nine unforced errors in their unconvincing 21-10 win against New South Wales Waratahs on Saturday. Advertisement Head coach Andy Farrell has yet to fully integrate the attacking system of complex pre-rehearsed moves that has been so successful with Ireland. "It was rubbish. If that was their first game, OK," Ashton told the BBC's Rugby Union Weekly podcast, after the 2025 Lions' fourth match. "Why have the Lions not stripped things back? There were so many changes and so many games, why not just go really simple against the Waratahs. "Then it gives people more of a chance to show off their X-Factor and bring their personality to the game. Instead of all these intricate plays. There isn't time for it." Advertisement Farrell, who won back-to-back Six Nations titles playing in this style with Ireland, included 15 Irishmen in his initial touring squad. However handling errors continue to haunt the Lions' attack - and even the Ireland players who know Farrell's system have struggled to gel alongside their new team-mates from other nations. Former Wales coach Warren Gatland led the last winning Lions tour in 2013 and with the series poised at 1-1, started 10 Wales players in the deciding Test. "Gatland played it simple and had a big Welsh contingent that he coached and trusted," said Ashton, who narrowly missed out on selection for that tour. Advertisement "It seems now that would be easier to implement, as you have a relationship and gameplan that is flowing. "I just wonder now what they will do on Wednesday against the Brumbies," added Ashton about the match that is 10 days before the first Test. Freeman, Aki & Ringrose in Ashton's Test team Tommy Freeman scored two tries against Queensland Reds to push his claims for a Test spot [Getty Images] It will be intriguing what Farrell does with his selection for Wednesday's game against the Brumbies. On paper it will be the Lions' toughest game in Australia outside the matches against the Wallabies and it has been suggested he could include most of his Test team in order to build cohesion. Advertisement He paired Scotland centres Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones together in the midfield for the first time against the Waratahs. It was a success, with Jones scoring two tries - the first of which was set up by his Glasgow Warriors team-mate. Farrell has yet to pair Ireland centres Bundee Aki and Garry Ringrose together on tour, but Ashton feels they have the edge over the Scotland pair. "Bundee Aki has been very good," the former Saracens wing said. "There is a lot to be said for that 12-13 axis to have played together, to know how each other run lines. "Having a different partnership unnecessarily is not the way to go. Therefore I'd go to Aki and Ringrose [for the first Test]." Advertisement Hugo Keenan, Mack Hansen and James Lowe started every game of Ireland's 2023 Grand Slam-winning campaign and the trio are on the Lions tour. Despite their level of collective cohesion, Ashton says England wing Tommy Freeman has been the best back-three player so far in Australia and should start the first Test. "Freeman is carrying all over the pitch and is scoring tries - only he is doing that so far out on the wing this tour," Ashton added. "He is hitting lines in the middle of the pitch as they want to use his carrying. "He's got a yard more pace compared to Hansen and a bit more size." Advertisement The selection at full-back is another call to be made after Keenan, who played his first game in more than a month on Saturday, struggled to impose himself on his Lions debut. Scotland full-back Blair Kinghorn started on the wing against the Waratahs and lacked ball to show off his attacking prowess on his Lions debut. The 28-year-old joined the tour late after starting the Top 14 semi-final and final on the left wing for Toulouse, leaving only two games to get a start in the number 15 shirt before the first Test. "The full-back Test spot is open," Ashton said. "Kinghorn has hardly played full-back for his club, which takes a bit of time to adjust back to. Advertisement "He has to train and play at 15 and get what he is so good at - the two-sided attack from the ruck and be that extra ball carrier - he has to remember to do that, rather than chasing kicks on the wing."
BBC News
06-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Lions must 'strip back' intricate gameplan
The British and Irish Lions would benefit from "stripping things back" and adopting a more simple style of play, says former England wing Chris Lions made nine unforced errors in their unconvincing 21-10 win against New South Wales Waratahs on coach Andy Farrell has yet to fully integrate the attacking system of complex pre-rehearsed moves that has been so successful with Ireland."It was rubbish. If that was their first game, OK," Ashton told the BBC's Rugby Union Weekly, after the 2025 Lions' fourth match."Why have the Lions not stripped things back? There were so many changes and so many games, why not just go really simple against the Waratahs."Then it gives people more of a chance to show off their X-Factor and bring their personality to the game. Instead of all these intricate plays. There isn't time for it."Farrell, who won back-to-back Six Nations titles playing in this style with Ireland, included 15 Irishmen in his initial touring handling errors continue to haunt the Lions' attack - and even the Ireland players who know Farrell's system have struggled to gel alongside their new team-mates from other Wales coach Warren Gatland led the last winning Lions tour in 2013 and with the series poised at 1-1, started 10 Wales players in the deciding Test."Gatland played it simple and had a big Welsh contingent that he coached and trusted," said Ashton, who narrowly missed out on selection for that tour."It seems now that would be easier to implement, as you have a relationship and gameplan that is flowing."I just wonder now what they will do on Wednesday against the Brumbies," added Ashton about the match that is 10 days before the first Test. Freeman, Aki & Ringrose in Ashton's Test team It will be intriguing what Farrell does with his selection for Wednesday's game against the paper it will be the Lions' toughest game in Australia outside the Test matches and it has been suggested he could include most of his Test team in order to build paired Scotland centres Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones together in the midfield for the first time against the was a success, with Jones scoring two tries - the first of which was set up by his Glasgow Warriors has yet to pair Ireland centres Bundee Aki and Garry Ringrose together on tour, but Ashton feels they have the edge over the Scotland pair."Bundee Aki has been very good," the former Saracens wing said."There is a lot to be said for that 12-13 axis to have played together, to know how each other run lines."Having a different partnership unnecessarily is not the way to go. Therefore I'd go to Aki and Ringrose [for the first Test]." Hugo Keenan, Mack Hansen and James Lowe started every game of Ireland's 2023 Grand Slam-winning campaign and the trio are on the Lions their level of collective cohesion, Ashton says England wing Tommy Freeman has been the best back three so far in Australia and should start the first Test."Freeman is carrying all over the pitch and is scoring tries - only he is doing that so far out on the wing this tour," Ashton added."He is hitting lines in the middle of the pitch as they want to use his carrying."He's got a yard more pace compared to Hansen and a bit more size."The selection at full-back is another call to be made after Keenan, who played his first game in more than a month on Saturday, struggled to impose himself on his Lions full-back Blair Kinghorn started on the wing against the Waratahs and lacked ball to show off his attacking prowess on his Lions 28-year-old joined the tour late after starting the Top 14 semi-final and final on the left wing for Toulouse, leaving only two games to get a start at in the number 15 shirt before the first Test."The full-back Test spot is open," Ashton said."Kinghorn has hardly played full-back for his club, which takes a bit of time to adjust back to."He has to train and play at 15 and get what he is so good at - the two-sided attack from the ruck and be that extra ball carrier - he has to remember to do that, rather than chasing kicks on the wing."
