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11th May 2022
11:25am BST
"I will stand up and say that Jonny May try, I didn’t think he was going to score that, and I know it’s my role to get back there and stop it. I fully understand that."Ashton, who last played for England in February 2019, was highly critical of Lowe in that game and said he was 'too big, too heavy, too slow'. On the BBC's Rugby Union Weekly, Ashton had declared, "Where was James Lowe? He’s dragging a dresser back there. He’s too big. He’s like a tractor, mate, turning. I watched him during the game, he is too big, too heavy, too slow." In response, Lowe had said:
"Look, Chris is probably trying to step up and make a bit of a name for himself... For someone who has also played international rugby and would have a fair amount of understanding. But, like I said, I didn’t hear it or see the context of how he was saying it. But I wouldn’t mind him in front of me, every now and then. See how we go."Last Saturday, at Welford Road, the pair faced off in a Champions Cup quarter final. While neither player set the game alight, or torched each other, it was Lowe that had the heartiest laugh after the final whistle, as Leinster marched on to the semis. Ashton was back on the BBC podcast, this week, and revealed he had apologised to the Leinster star.
"I think we probably weren’t in the game enough against each other. He wasn’t needed necessarily because his forwards were that good and that efficient, he wasn’t needed. "I did make a point of going to him after the game to say my bad. It was a throwaway comment that was taken out of context, it was about the specific game. He is a good player, he doesn’t need to worry about what I have been saying so hopefully he is alright. "He tried to throw an uppercut my way, as we were walking off the pitch but I hope he was pretending. So I hope we are all clear now."The 'out of context' defence is weak, as it was a complete take-down of another professional with some strong wording in there. It was, after all, only the second Test appearance for Lowe, at the time. For Leinster winger's part, he told reporters, on Monday, of the apology and says the matter is firmly behind him now. Lowe was carrying an injury in that England game and nowhere near 100% fit, but when is a rugby player ever 100%? As for the uppercut from Lowe, it could simply have been a fist pump of celebration, right where Ashton could see it. Related links:
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