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Ashton focused on France
In-form England winger Chris Ashton might be a marked man on Saturday, however he intends to do everything in his power to maintain his formidable try-scoring run against France at Twickenham.
The Northampton Saints flyer has made a barnstorming start to his international career, scoring nine tries in as many games since making his Test debut against Les Bleus almost one year ago.
He was the scourge of Wales and Italy in the opening games of the 2011 RBS Six Nations campaign, scoring two and four tries respectively, and the 23-year-old will be hoping to maintain his exceptional form at rugby HQ this weekend.
Speaking ahead of Saturday’s showdown, Ashton told skysports.com: “We had a week off last week so we got a chance to get a rest in and do some of the training we needed to do and we’re just looking forward to getting back into it.
Challenge
“We’re not overconfident, but just confident enough. We’ve had two good wins, played well both times so we’re looking to do the same again against the French.”
Ashton’s exploits have prompted France defence coach Dave Ellis to formulate a special plan to stop him from adding to his tally at Twickenham.
However the buoyant wing is relishing the challenge and hopes the attention on himself will create opportunities elsewhere for team-mates.
“It’s pretty hard to mark a winger, if I was a number eight running from the back of the pack all the time I could understand that but if they want to single me out that’s great, hopefully it will create gaps somewhere else,” he added.
“I’ll certainly be trying my best to keep my record up. It’s hard in these Test matches, it’s just luck at the minute I think. We’re playing well, and I’m just running up the middle as always.”
Comments from another member of the France camp have also added fuel to the fire ahead of Saturday’s encounter, with coach Marc Lievremont launching a scathing attack on England and their popularity.
Criticism
Lievremont claimed in the week that Martin Johnson’s side are the most disliked in the competition and the team that everyone loves to beat.
Responding to his comments, Ashton said: “He’s entitled to say what he wants to say, but I think we all knew what he thought about us beforehand anyway.
“It doesn’t make any difference to us, we know they job we have to do.
“Everyone likes to play against England and even after Saturday there are some big games to come.”
Ashton’s swallow-dive try celebration has also created a lot of media attention in recent weeks, although he insists he will continue to do what he loves doing most – crossing the whitewash.
“It’s not something I think about doing before the match,” he added. “I just love scoring tries.”
Delay ‘an eternity’ for teams
Williams technical director Sam Michael says the two-week delay to the start of the Formula One season caused by the cancellation of the Bahrain Grand Prix has made a “massive difference” to teams’ development programmes.
The Gulf state had been scheduled to host the season-opener on March 13 but was forced to cancel because of anti-government protests. The first race will now be held in Melbourne on March 27.
A final pre-season test in Bahrain, scheduled to take place a week before the opening race, has also been cancelled with teams instead heading back to Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya between March 8-11.
“I think it just gives you a lot more time to refine things and have a nicer package,” Michael said.
“Obviously, you’d always make the first race and be there and do the best with what you’ve got but you are always a little bit ragged at the first race…having two weeks extra makes a massive difference in Formula One because it’s such a long time.
“It’s quite surreal at the moment actually, because everything in Formula One is geared around deadlines and not having deadlines that shift. Then to suddenly have one that shifts by two weeks is massive.”
Resource
Michael reckons the deadlines in F1 are such that the two weeks the teams have been handed is the equivalent of an extra three months to create a new road car or six months to finish off building a jet.
“Two weeks is an eternity in Formula One,” he said.
“You use a couple of days to tidy up the things you were tight on and then you are straight into development, trying to bring things forward that you’ve now got more resource to do.”
Williams now have more time, for example, to manufacture specific cooling parts needed for Bahrain which will still be used at the third round of the season in Malaysia, where temperatures are also high.
“We have a first race upgrade package which will be on the car in its entirety for the Barcelona test,” said Michael.
“Between Barcelona and Melbourne we will also change the car again, because we have found things in the wind tunnel and stuff that we’d like to change.”
Bruce up for Black Cats test
Steve Bruce is confident he can shoulder the challenge of bringing success to Sunderland.
There can be no denying that the Black Cats have now established themselves in the Premier League following their last promotion in 2007.
With the backing of owner Ellis Short, Bruce has set about building a squad that will thrive on the weight of expectation in the North East and is capable of bringing the glory days back to Wearside.
Sunderland climbed into the last European place last month and although they have lost their last three, Bruce believes his players have the mettle to bounce back and keep the Black Cats in contention for a top-seven finish.
“The club has had fantastic support from the owner, but I think that’s exactly what it needs if it’s going to make that breakthrough where it becomes genuinely successful,” he told the Northern Echo.
“There’s a pressure in the North East that’s created by the size of the crowds and that’s one of the challenges any manager faces when he comes here.
Cycle
“I think that the only way to break that cycle is to bring in the sort of genuine, top quality players who can take it in their stride.
“I think that’s what has held so many North East teams of the past back – the fact that they’ve had the crowds, they’ve had the expectations, but it is very difficult to live up to that if the squad just isn’t good enough.
“And the challenge for managers in building a top club in the North East – that pressure is always on – whatever success you bring, the crowds are big enough to want and expect more. That’s quite a pressure, but it’s what makes the challenge so attractive.
“There are some clubs where the fanbase is such that just staying in the Premier League will see you hailed as a success. But in the big two in the North East, it has been very rare in the modern era that the quality of the teams has managed to reflect the quality of the size and passion of the home crowds.
Sustained success
“That’s why, I think, the North East has found it hard to create sustained success at the top of the table. But what a great challenge to take on, and I’ve got to say that I’m happy with the direction we’re going in at the moment, where we’ve got someone like Asamoah Gyan at the club, who was a World Player of the Year nominee.”
The winter transfer window saw Bruce bring in Sulley Muntari and Stephane Sessegnon, two players with Champions League experience, adding to a squad that already featured several internationals and World Cup players.
“I don’t think there’s any denying that we’re getting a top quality squad here now, and you need that up here,” added the Sunderland boss. “You have to be able to handle the ball and not take notice of the crowd and we have players who have that confidence.
“The results might not have been the greatest of late, but we’ve had terrible injury problems which are now starting to ease and I know that, as a squad and as a club, we’re heading in the right direction.”
Ireland squad bolstered
Ireland coach Declan Kidney has called up eight players to his squad ahead of Sunday’s RBS Six Nations clash with Scotland.
They join the 22 who were on duty for the defeat to France on February 13, and include backs Andrew Trimble and Tommy Bowe.
Trimble returned from a broken hand to play for Ulster in their Magners League victory over Scarlets on Friday, while Bowe has recovered from a knee injury and lined up for Ospreys in their win against Treviso on Saturday.
Kidney has also called in Denis Hurley and Gavin Duffy to bolster the backs division, and added to his forwards options by bringing in prop Tony Buckley, second rows Mick O’Driscoll and Donnacha Ryan, and back-rower Rhys Ruddock.
The Ireland squad gather on Monday evening to begin their preparation for the weekend trip to Edinburgh.
Ollie urges more attacking
Blackpool boss Ian Holloway insists he won’t tell his side to curb their attacking instincts as they aim to remain in the Premier League.
The Seasiders showed no fear as they made a fine start to their first Premier League season, sitting eighth at the turn of the year having continued to play the expansive brand of football that took them to an unexpected promotion last term.
The Tangerines have lost seven out of their nine league games since, though, slipping to just two points and two places above the drop zone.
On Tuesday night Pool host Tottenham, who have also entertained this season on their way to the UEFA Champions League knockout stages, but Holloway claims he will again urge his side to get on the front foot.
“I’ve said to the lads, it’s really important to remember what got us here in the first place, which was open, expansive football, and I’m not going to try to do anything different,” he told Sky Sports News.
Balance
“Yes, I’ve got to get the balance right between attacking and defending, but let’s have a go.
“Let’s have a go and see if their defence is as good as they are going forward, whoever and wherever that is. That’s what we’ve done all season.
“I’m going to pick a team I think will beat Tottenham Hotspur. Some people might think I’m mad to say that, but that’s what we’ll be going out attempting to do.”
Blackpool lost just one of their last nine games last season to make up a five-point deficit and gatecrash the play-offs, where they beat Cardiff at Wembley.
Pool now have 29 points with 12 games left and Holloway reckons they have more leeway this term, claiming something around the 40-point mark may be enough to beat the drop despite the table being so congested.
“This time last year we had hardly any margin of error at all,” he said.
“This year we can probably afford we lose two thirds of the games and win one third, and that will keep us up.
“Obviously it’s a higher standard but that’s how I’m looking at.”
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