Ashton pleased with Ward-Smith

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The number eight has been sidelined since suffering a serious knee injury six months ago but his recovery process has now hit the accelerator - and Ashton also believes the time Ward-Smith spent working with renowned knee injuries expert Bill Knowles in America is a contributory factor.

Ashton said: "I am delighted with Dan. Not that long ago it looked less than 50-50 for him, but he is back in and doing full training with full contact. The work he did in the USA has pushed him along really, really well."

He added: "Dan is a determined character, and once he saw a tiny little bit of light at the end of the tunnel then he has really gone for it.

"Going across to America and having specialist one-on-one attention - added to his determination - has accelerated his progress quite dramatically. He is an incredibly fit athlete."