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Wild scenes at Welford Road as Chris Ashton jumps barricade to applaud his own try

By Ian Cameron
Chris Ashton jumps the barricades at Welford Road.

Chris Ashton added another feather to his cap on Sunday as he scored his 100th Gallagher Premiership try in Leicester Tigers' win over Exeter Chiefs at Welford Road.

Having scored his 99th earlier, the milestone try came in the second half after an initial effort at 100 was disallowed due to a foot-in-touch, an incident which saw Exeter's Olly Woodburn sent off after he received a second yellow card for diving on a grounded player.

His 100th try came in the corner after a sweeping attack from the Tigers, showcasing the incredible finishing skills that have made him one of the best try scorers in the English game.

Unfortunately, there was no signature Ash Splash celebration, but the moment was still a special one for Ashton as he reached the century mark in the Premiership.

He would collect his 101th try a few minutes, after which he jumped the barricades to applaud his own try in a brilliantly cheeky celebration that echoed Felipe Contepomi's effort nearly two decades ago for Leinster.

The 36-year-old winger's career began in rugby league, and he made the transition to rugby union in 2007, where he quickly made a name for himself with his pace and try-scoring ability. Ashton's career has seen him play for several top clubs, including Northampton Saints, Saracens, Toulon, Harlequins, Sale Sharks, before joining Leicester Tigers midway through last season.

In 2010, he made his England Rugby Test debut and went on to represent his country on 44 occasions, scoring 20 international tries.

Ashton's retirement from professional rugby is imminent, and he will call time on an 18-year career that has seen him become the all-time leading try-scorer in both the Gallagher Premiership and Heineken Champions Cup, with 100 and 41 tries respectively.

To date, he has won three Premierships, two Heineken Champions Cups and one European Challenge Cup.

Ashton's incredible try-scoring record is a testament to his skill and dedication, and he will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the most prolific finishers in English rugby history. A son of Wigan, his contribution to the game will be sorely missed, but his legacy will undoubtedly live on, inspiring future generations of rugby players to follow in his footsteps.