DAVID BARNES

FRENCH COLUMN
Toulon president Mourad Boudjellal has cast doubt on Chris Ashton’s motive for leaving his club for Sale. Ashton, currently serving a seven-week ban for illegally tackling Rory Kockott, of Castres, has made clear that he moved back to the Premiership to make himself available for a place with England.
That was after just one season with Toulon for whom he smashed the Top 14 try-scoring record with 24 in 23 games.
Now Boudjellal, in an interview with his local paper, alleges that Ashton asked for a new contract with a pay rise during a stor...