FORMER Wigan star Chris Ashton could call time on his rugby union career after leaving Worcester.
The dual-code international, 34, was a high-profile addition to the 15-a-side code when joining Northampton in 2007.
Ashton scored 27 tries in 52 appearances as a fullback or winger for his hometown club Wigan, where he came through the development system, and played four times for England, with three tries.
He went on to represent England’s union team on 44 occasions, including at the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand, where he finished as the tournament’s joint leading try-scorer with six.
Ashton chalked up 20 tries in total for England between 2010 and 2019.
At club level, he also played for Saracens, Toulon, Sale and Harlequins before joining Worcester in January.
However Ashton has made just four appearances for the Midlands club and had been repeatedly “unavailable for selection” this season.
In a short statement, Worcester said the player has had calf and knee injuries, and that the “daily commute from his home in Northampton had also proved challenging”.
His departure comes less than a month after ex-Sale director of rugby Steve Diamond joined Worcester as lead rugby consultant.
A bust-up between the pair led to Ashton leaving Sale before the end of his contract.
