Chris Ashton is facing the prospect of another long ban after the England wing was accused of biting an opponent during Saracens’ bruising victory over Northampton at Allianz Park.
The Northampton prop Alex Waller asked the referee, Greg Garner, to take a look at the incident in the first half that started when he was grappling on the ground with Ashton (right). The game was watched by the England coach Eddie Jones, who left out the Sarries wing for England’s summer tour to Australia.
Waller’s hand was around Ashton’s face and when the pair broke up the prop complained to Garner that he had been bitten. He was told the incident would be reviewed after the match, by the end of which Waller had spent time in the sin-bin for a dangerous tackle and investigated for making contact with the Saracens’ hooker Jamie George with his head.
“Alex repeated at half-time in the dressing room what he said to the referee, that he had been bitten on the hand,” said the Northampton director of rugby, Jim Mallinder. The incident was being reviewed on Saturday night by the citing commissioner, Mike Rafter, along with others.
They included the act that led to Waller being sent to the sin-bin after 55 minutes for a dangerous challenge off the ball on George before making head contact with the hooker that the referee ruled was inadvertent. “A moment of madness from Alex started our downfall,” said Mallinder. “We had been very good until then in what was a tough, physical match. We were in possession when Alex took it too far and Saracens took their numerical advantage.”
Mark McCall, the Saracens’ director of rugby, is bracing himself to be without Ashton again for a long spell: “I have heard the accusation but did not see what happened and have yet to review the tape,” he said. “This will run its course and I suppose there is a good chance Chris will be cited.”
Ashton last season received a 10-week ban for putting his hand near the eyes of Luke Marshall during a European Champions Cup match against Ulster.
The Northampton and England centre Luther Burrell was taken to hospital after Saturday’s match after suffering a head injury near the end of the game. Paul Rees
