Revealed: The RFU Were Given Some Pretty Damning Evidence For Chris Ashton’s Hearing

The RFU used photographic evidence as part of its decision to ban Chris Ashton for 13 weeks, the disciplinary panel’s written judgement has revealed.

Ashton was found guilty of one of two charges of biting Northampton prop Alex Waller during Saturday’s Aviva Premiership clash.

The RFU panel took into account pictures taken by one of Northampton’s physios, who had been called on to the pitch to treat Waller, after he claimed to have been bitten twice by the England international.

The evidence was described as “helpful to the panel” and Allwork’s  testimony also revealed that the pictures were taken with the permission of referee Greg Garner.

“I ran to Alex Waller who had taken a knee.

Alex said, ‘I’ve been bitten on my arm’. There were obvious bite marks on Alex’s forearm/wrist,” Allwork said.

“The referee appears to see what is happening, I explain to him that he had been bitten and the referee nodded his head.

Our second physio, Matt Lee, arrived and began to strap and dressed his forearm.

“Matt suggests taking a photo and the referee said that there is ‘clear evidence’ of the bite. He said that Alex was clearly injured and would give us the time.”

Waller can be heard on audio footage saying,

“Ashton bit me twice…it didn’t hurt too much but it’s out of order”

Ashton claimed “he had not bitten 100 per cent”, insisting Waller’s arm had become lodged in his open mouth and that he twisted his head away to remove the arm and insisted that did not clamp his teeth down.

The panel felt the only question was if Waller’s wound had been caused by the pressure of arm to teeth or by a bite and while they viewed the Northampton player’s testimony as “consistent and compelling”, they found Ashton’s account “very much less plausible.”

[Sky Sports]