Chris Ashton leaves Sale Sharks with immediate effect after contract terminated on ‘mutual agreement’
Forty-four-cap England international leaves mid-season in a sudden departure
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Your support makes all the difference.Former England wing Chris Ashton has left Sale Sharks with immediate effect, the Premiership club have announced.
The 32-year-old leaves the club mid-season in a sudden unexpected departure, having scored four tries in nine appearances for the Salford-based club this season.
Ashton did not feature in last Friday’s 23-17 away victory over Gloucester, and a shock club statement issued on Monday morning confirmed his immediate exit.
It read: “Sale Sharks can today announce that Chris Ashton will leave the club with immediate effect.
“The club and Chris have reached a mutual agreement regarding the termination of his Sale Sharks contract and he will leave the club immediately.
“Sale Sharks would like to thank Chris for his efforts whilst at the club and wish him and his family all the best for the future.”
Ashton won the last of his 44 England caps in the Six Nations victory over France last year, though injury cost him his place in Eddie Jones’s squad and he subsequently ruled himself out of contention for the 2019 Rugby World Cup due to family reasons.
Ashton’s immediate exit follows the sudden departure of centre Cameron Redpath, who last month agreed to join Bath despite having three years left to run on his existing deal after the West Country side paid a six-figure transfer fee to spring him from Sale.
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