Chris Ashton reaches try milestone in Leicester’s thrashing of Exeter | Premiership

Try-scoring 101 for Chris Ashton. English rugby’s most prolific finisher cemented his status as the Premiership’s greatest ever try-scorer by becoming the first player in the history of the competition to reach 100 tries, running in a hat-trick in Leicester’s dominant win over Exeter. Ashton, who last week announced he is retiring at the end of the season, began the match on 98 but the 36-year-old wasted little time in racing to three figures before adding his third on the day and his 101st in total.

His cause was helped by three yellow cards to Exeter – two for Olly Woodburn which meant a red for the Chiefs wing – but here was a reminder of just how deadly Ashton remains. His were three of nine tries for Leicester, who have now all but confirmed their place in the playoffs. They were caused problems by Exeter in the first half but the champions are timing their end-of-season run formidably. Ashton deserves the limelight but his fellow wing Anthony Watson was lively throughout, Dan Kelly consistently excellent at centre and George Martin a colossal force at lock.

Exeter, meanwhile, might well feel aggrieved at Woodburn’s second yellow card for diving on Ashton on the floor as the tryline beckoned. They might not be too happy, either with two yellow cards from the referee Karl Dickson in the first half, both for deliberate knock-ons. In the coming days they can review a first-half performance with optimism but it should be said they capitulated after Woodburn’s red card and their top four hopes are now effectively over.

Leicester were two tries up within the first 10 minutes, Kelly pouncing on Handré Pollard’s grubber which eluded the ever-alert Ashton for the first. Ashton had a hand in the second, too, receiving Jack van Poortvliet’s pass and measuring his grubber perfectly for the scrum-half to splash over.

It was the kind of start – with Pollard strutting about the place – that made you wonder if the Chiefs already had an eye on their European semi-final but their response was impressive. Sam Simmonds ran a blistering line on to a flat pass from Will Becconsall for his 59th Premiership try, matching Neil Back’s record for a forward. There followed a forgettable few minutes for Pollard whose cross-field kick was picked off by Tom Wyatt with Stuart Hogg soon going over.

Woodburn returned but on the stroke of half-time Rory O’Loughlin – an early replacement for the injured Solomone Kata – was sent to the sin-bin. Leicester kicked to the corner and Ashton had try No 99 after Watson’s clever grubber kick on the right. Three minutes into the second half and Ashton was ready to raise his bat after squeezing over, again in the right-hand corner. Replays showed that his left foot brushed the touchline just before the act of scoring, however, but Woodburn was adjudged to have dived on Ashton on the floor. A second yellow card was the upshot for the unfortunate Watson, a penalty try for Leicester.

Truth be told it was not the kind of way that Ashton would have wanted to bring up his century and he did not have to wait long to mark the milestone. A strong carry from Kelly put the Tigers on the front foot and Pollard fizzed a pass to Ashton, lurking on the left. It needed finishing but Ashton is lethal from that sort of position, the only surprise being that there was no accompanying “splash” celebration.

Martin then got the try his performance deserved before Matt Scott got in on the act after a delightfully disguised pass from Watson. Ashton was not done yet, however, and went over on the right with try No 101 before hopping over the advertising hoardings and into the stand, taking his seat and applauding. It was a celebration that Felipe Contepomi made famous in his Bristol days – fitting then that the Argentinian was present in the crowd. Scott juggled his way to a second of the afternoon before a consolation score for Exeter’s Rus Tuima.