Tom Varndell exclusive: 'I knew my record was 100% done when Chris Ashton signed for Leicester Tigers'

Tom Varndell knew his days as the Premiership's all-time leading tryscorer were numbered when Chris Ashton signed for Leicester Tigers.

It was back in February 2017 when the former Tigers and Wasps winger surpassed Mark Cueto's record of 90 and would add one more score for Bristol Bears before leaving that summer.

His accolade appeared in some danger as Christian Wade raced to 82 by the age of 27 but retired from rugby union in 2018 to pursue a career in American Football. Another major challenger Ashton was marooned in the eighties where he seemed destined to remain after leaving Worcester Warriors in December.

The 34-year-old spent three months without a club before former Saracens team-mate Steve Borthwick came calling in February with a chance to revive his career at the table-topping Tigers - and have one last shot at Varndell's record. The former record holder knew his five-year run at the top was over.

"When he signed it was like, 'oh **** that's it, done, 100 per cent done," he said. "Because Leicester Tigers are absolutely flying, and I've been on the end of a backline when Leicester Tigers are on fire and you're walking in tries for fun.

"I knew Ashton would pop up somewhere. He's been quite vocal about wanting the record, and he should as a winger. He's prolific and there's no way he was going to walk away being only a few off the record. I didn't think it would be around for much longer. I thought he would've broken it last season but obviously things happened there and that didn't happen. There was that glint of hope came that maybe he is done."

Ashton got off the mark for his sixth Premiership club at the fourth attempt in mid-March against London Irish to move into the nineties before pulling level at the