News about Chris Ashton

Two gangs made up of white inmates - called Death Before Dishonour and the Piranhas - have been fighting a brutal war against Muslim gangs since the 2000s. The number of Muslims behind bars has skyrocketed in recent years, with gangs like the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) offering protection to inmates who convert to Islam. The religious wars have seen reports of inmates having hot cooking oil poured over them, forced readings of the Quran and even sharia law being imposed on some prisoners. The DBD have been said to have an 'attack on sight' policy towards Muslims in certain prisons as well as using intimidation and violence to force prison staff to transfer Muslim prisoners from DBD-controlled units. Gangsters Richard Caswell (bottom right) and Chris Ashton (top right), both from Liverpool, have been linked to the Piranha faction which emerged in the mid-2000s

Twelve branches of big chains closed in January alone, and it is predicted that a further 38 will close this month. The LINK initiative, a watchdog launched in February 2022 by the UK's major banks, including Lloyds, HSBC, Natwest, Halifax, and Barclays, has collected the data on bank closures.

MIKE BROWN: I could tell why my old friend Jack Nowell left La Rochelle as soon as I landed. Rugby fans are omnipresent in the coastal town port. Jack and I spent some of our best days in an England shirt together, and it was awesome to meet up with them ahead of our Champions Cup match. He's been on the little island just off the coast from the mainland, and he's settled in well.

With forwards Kyle Sinckler and Lewis Ludlam lined up to join Toulon, the exodus of England players to France seems to be set to continue. Jack Willis, Jack Nowell, Sam Simmonds, Henry Arundell, David Ribbans, and Joe Marchant have all been to the Top 14 in the last year. Willis and Arundell's departures were compelled on them by the demise of their teams Wasps and London Irish, but others were forced to leave due to lucrative employment. The Premiership salary cap is expected to increase next season, but England's top players will still earn much more in France. Bristol captain Ludlam and Toulon's three-time European champions, Toulon, who have previously employed Jonny Wilkinson, Chris Ashton, and the Armitage brothers, are likely to join the French ranks.

After being sent off for a high tackle on Harlequins wing Cadan Murley during Leicester's loss last Saturday, the winger, who will retires at the end of the season, was in danger of missing the final rounds. But with a big play-off against Sale looming, his club successfully appealed against the decision. If Leicester makes it to Twickenham, it will give Ashton a second straight Premiership final to begin his career. However, the club is also angry due to Ashton's lateness of the trial, just one day before they're supposed to announce their squads for the Sale showdown.

SIMON: Few will begrudge Chris Ashton's appointment to fight another day, but a decision might well strip him of his farewell opportunity. Leicester has been planning their lineups for the play-off against Sale since Sunday morning, but it could have cost him his life throughout the week. It's a celebration of rugby's sluggish and archaic traditions, with the discipline hearing postponed to accommodate the bank holiday and the Premiership Awards on Wednesday night. Ashton had been invited to attend a special award at the black-tie dinner to receive a special accolade, but he was unable to attend a potential hearing.

CHRIS FOY: It's impossible to exaggerate how dramatic the 2022-23 campaign has been, with financial challenges causing the demise of two clubs and budget cuts across the board, but also a myriad of gloriously entertaining matches, dazzling talent, ferocious intensity, and slim margins. This column gives a verdict on the season's highs and lows, key figures, and standout features.

Following Chris Ashton's stellar career, he suffered in a flash of red rather than the Ash-splash fans had hoped for following his second-round dismissal. With Leicester Tigers' place in the Premiership play-off semi-finals secured ahead of their death rubber against Harlequins, referee Ian Tempest was welcomed to the stands by refereeing Cadan Murley. The Mattioli Woods Welford Road pitch was choked with emotion after halftime, with the Premiership's all-time record try-scorer who announced his retirement last month. His chances of playing in the knockout games and a visit to Sale Sharks, one of his former clubs, will hinge on a winsome appeal, which Tigers head coach Richard Wigglesworth did not rule out.

COMMENT: Just when you think rugby can't avoid firing itself in the foot, it comes back to a game. Jack Nowell's £10,000 fine for tweeting condemning a refereeing decision is yet another example of the game's hierarchy of complete disregard for players and fans. It's plain barmy. The Nowell incident in Dublin is the latest example of rugby leaving its own open to ridicule, according to Freddie Steward's red card. It must be stopped.

ALEX BYWATER: After being charged with "conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game," for opposing a referee, Exeter wing Jack Nowell was fined £10,000. Nowell characterized official Karl Dickson's dismissal of Exeter's Olly Woodburn against Leicester last Sunday as 'one of the worst decisions I've ever seen.' As he attempted to score, Dickson gave Woodburn a second yellow and therefore a red for diving on top of Chris Ashton.

ALEX BYWATER: After Jack Nowell was charged with "total misconduct detrimental to the game's interest for the sport" for opposing a referee, English rugby responded with a mixture of rage and disbelief. On Sunday, Nowell described official Karl Dickson's dismissal of Exeter's Olly Woodburn against Leicester as 'one of the worst decisions I've ever seen.' As he attempted to score, Dickson gave Woodburn his second yellow and therefore a red for diving on top of Chris Ashton. Stuart Hogg had previously wrestled Ashton.

CHRIS FOY'S WORLD OF RUGBY: As he prepares for retirement, Chris Ashton's best possible tribute to him is that rugby can be amusing, even though the stakes are high and the heat is oppressive. He always seemed to be having fun, and that was on display again in Leicester's thumping victory over Exeter on Sunday, over and above all the tries, the titles, and the medals in his successful cross-code conversion.

Chris Ashton, a Leicester wing, scored a hat-trick en route to becoming the first player to reach 100 Premiership attempts on Sunday as Exeter's play-off hopes crumbled on a afternoon of high drama on Mattioli Woods Welford Road. Exeter was making a good fist of ending their worst-ever away season in the Premiership before their wing Olly Woodburn was abruptly dismissed just after halftime. Leicester was trailing 22-12 at that point, but they smashed them out of a 62-19 victory in their sixth straight league victory.

ALEX BYWATER (aka: Ashton, 36, will call it quits at the end of the season and bring an end to one of England rugby's most exciting careers. He has certainly been a Marmite figure, especially in the 15-a-side game. Why? It's still a controversial topic. Ashton has been a trial machine in both codes since starting in rugby league with Wigan. He is the highest try scorer in Premiership and European history. On current 98 Premiership tries, he still has a chance to make it to three figures before he opens the curtain on what has been a thrilling rugby journey.

ALEX BYWATER: Chris Ashton, a veteran Englandwing and the Premiership and Champions Cup's highest try scorer, has announced that he would retire at the end of the season. After an 18-year career with Wigan, Northampton, Saracens, Toulon, Sale, Harlequins, and Worcester, the 36-year-old is currently with Leicester City. Ashton has 98 Premiership attempts and 41 in European competitions.

After his alleyway sex act sparked a storm this week, Joe Westerman became the latest rugby celebrity to be rocked by controversy. Since finding of his deed in a tense back passage, Lauren, the Castleford forward's wife, has told friends that their marriage has ended, they have now told them that their marriage is over. At the 2011 World Cup, England reportedly partied with dwarves, while an international celebrity was left on crutches after being struck by a bus on a club night out. An experienced All Black has made news for a disabled toilet, demonstrating rugby players' propensity to get themselves in danger and into the tabloids. Without further ado, Sportsmail examines rugby's most controversial news.

What an oval-ball year it has been, with epic feats on the field and several alarming and seismic events that have highlighted the game's precarious and turbulent nature. Over the past 12 months, rugby has veered remarkably between extremes; with scandal and chaos, exciting matches and grand occasions, Rugby has erupted. Here, Sportsmail looks back at some of the key events along the way…

Northampton is leading the way for a sport that must abandon secrecy and reveal its soul in order to bring more box-office appeal. The Saints also released another short, behind-the-scenes film, the third such film ever produced, which will see Phil Dowson's squad take on the grueling pre-season 'Blakiston Challenge', named after former captain and war hero Sir Arthur Blakiston. It came from two previous films that focused on Northampton's quest for the 2022 Premiership final.

ALEX BYWATER: Jimmy Gopperth's new home in Leicester could not be much further from the coast, but the veteran has revealed that surfing - not golf - is the key to his incredible longevity. Gopperth also said that age is just a number as he prepares to play into his fourth decade.' I'm going to keep going until the wheels fall off!' With notable stints at Newcastle, Leinster, and Wasps, the New Zealand-born fly-half or center, 39, has had an excellent career, first in his homeland and then in the United Kingdom. He crossed the midlands divide by swapping Wasps for Premiership champions Leicester this summer, and there are no plans on slowing down with the Tigers.

Freddie Burns is sitting in the bar of the Brooklyn Hotel in Leicester as a couple of teenagers walk by and call out his name. 'We love you, Freddie,' they scream as they snap a snapshot of the city's new cult hero. He declines a drink, focusing on how he consumed more alcohol after his last-minute drop goal snatched the Premiership crown in June. Rather, he opts for a Coca-Cola. The No10 has a chuckle as it is thrown right back to the limelight at 32 years old.' 'I always knew I'd be remembered as the guy who dropped the ball against Toulouse.' I can't tell you how much s*** I got for that. People would talk about Freddie Burns and their reaction would be, "Oh yeah, that t***!"