Chris Ashton changing teams because of Andy Farrell – Rugby News Update
Chris Ashton, the England winger has stated that he is making the switch from Northampton Saints to the Saracens, because of Andy Farrell, the current head coach of the team.
Andy Farrell, who worked with the England head coach Stuart Lancaster during the Six Nations tournament, has forged a great reputation for himself as a coach, and the players want to learn under his tutelage. Ashton feels the same, and commenting on his
switch, he said, "I'm pretty happy with Andy's decision - he's the main reason I went there," and he further added, "It wasn't so much the offer because your market value is relatively the same, it was more about taking the next step in my life.”
Ashton is a rising star of the game and at age 25, he has already played 23 tests for England. He graduated from the Wigan rugby league academy and went on to join Northampton in 2007. After his switch he became a mainstay in the team, and in his first season
in 2007-2008, he set a new try record in the National League One – scoring 39 tries in 25 matches, as the Saints won the title.
England debut did not come immediately for the winger who had to prove even further that he was worthy of a place in the England setup. His chance eventually came in 2010, when he made his debut for England against France, at the Stade de France, on March
20.
At this point in his career, Ashton is still looking to learn and he feels that Andy will help him achieve that. While speaking about his new coach, he said, "He's got a lot of strengths but he's an exceptionally good motivator. He knows how to say the right
thing at the right time to get lads in the right place and he works real hard and puts a lot of time into his job to help you improve as a player."
Lancaster, the England head coach, wanted Farrell on his coaching staff but the 36-year-old head coach of the Saracens wanted to take his team to the next step. However, players like Chris Ashton will undoubtedly benefit from his astute guidance.
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