Leicester Tigers winger Chris Ashton provided the rugby fanbase with the wholesome moment of the weekend, when he conducted his post-match interview alongside his children Ava and Isaac. Ashton spoke to the BT Sport cameras after Leicester Tigers’ emphatic victory, as they dispatched the Exeter Chiefs 62-19 at Welford Road.
Earlier this week, Ashton announced how he plans to retire from rugby at the end of the season, and gave an emotional post-match interview with his children alongside him.
“I think the professional era the way it is, you try to take the emotion out of it. But yeah, I’ve had a little moment today.”
Ashton joked about the attention he’s recieved after announcing his plans to hang up his boots.
“I don’t like the attention, I really don’t like the attention. Not when it’s good anyway, I don’t mind it when it’s bad!”
Ashton agreed that his career had been “just a little bit” colourful, “but it’s ended in the right way.” Ashton has had a decorated career, and he joked about the times he had been flung into the spotlight for controversies.
Ashton has become the first player to score 100 tries in the Premiership, marking his 99th, 100th and 101st scores in an impressive hat-trick against the Chiefs. The 36-year-old discussed the support he’s received on the run up to breaking the centurion try-scoring milestone.
“I can’t stress just how much the players and the team, everyone involved in the club has just been so keen to help me get these tries. I’ve been overwhelmed by it really.”
“All these tries, you look, I’m just running them in basically. I’m just so grateful for my teammates, and everyone that I’ve played with. Just being able to come back and be part of Leicester, be part of a club, it has been a busy week for me as you say, in retiring and stuff like that but to be able to get the tries today, I didn’t expect it at all.”