Chris Ashton: Leicester Tigers' former England international to retire from rugby

Chris Ashton has scored a grounds 98 Premiership tries

The Premiership's grounds try-scorer and erstwhile England backmost Chris Ashton is to discontinue astatine the extremity of the season.

He was capped 44 times successful union, with 20 tries, and won the Premiership 3 times and Champions Cup twice.

Ashton joined Leicester from Worcester successful 2022, having antecedently had spells astatine Sale Sharks, Harlequins, Toulon, Saracens and Northampton Saints.

"This crippled has opened the satellite to me, taken maine to places I ne'er thought I would person been oregon experienced, and I americium truthful grateful for that," helium told the Tigers' website.

"Playing for Wigan Warriors was my imagination increasing up, that was each I wanted to do, and I cognize rugby league would person fixed maine truthful overmuch too.

"But it is astonishing to look backmost and spot what I person been capable to bash due to the fact that of some codes and the groups and places I person been a portion of successful my career.

"I americium honoured to person done what I person done, for the clubs I person played for and to correspond my state successful 2 codes."

Ashton, who had five-year spells astatine Northampton and Saracens, has made 25 appearances for defending Premiership champions Leicester since his determination to Welford Road.

In April 2022 his hat-trick against Bristol took him to 95 tries and past Tom Varndell arsenic the outright grounds try-scorer.

"I person conscionable felt, this season, that my assemblage is not capable to bash what I privation it bash anymore," helium added.

"If I americium not capable to support the standards that I expect of myself, past it is the close clip for maine to retire.

"It is the close clip for me. I cognize that, and I americium blessed successful making this determination astatine this time."