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Harlequins’ Chris Ashton: I felt terrible, I’m sure I had coronavirus

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Harlequins wing Chris Ashton believes he had coronavirus after being bedridden by the worst flu of his life.

Ashton, who moved to the club from Sale this month , has now recovered but revealed he has been battling illness over the past few weeks.

The 33-year-old, who was not tested, explained how he had been struck down by Covid-19 symptoms.

“Coronavirus hit me hard,” Ashton told the BBC. “I had fever, a sore throat, aches, loss of smell and taste. I was pretty whacked for a whole week. Now my mum has got it because she was here helping with the kids. She is 63, so not good.

“Melissa [Ashton’s wife] is all right, though, she’s Serbian. She is rock solid.

“No [I didn’t get tested], not enough tests are there. I just went off symptoms and how bad I felt. I couldn’t get out of bed. I am never really ill.”

Asked if it was the worst flu he has ever had, Ashton replied: “Yeah, definitely. Normally you get flu for two days, three days maximum. This was not going anywhere for a while. I tried to train and stuff, but I just couldn’t do it.”

Ashton, who has played 44 Tests for England, was speaking on last night’s edition of the BBC’s Rugby Union Weekly Podcast.

He was joined on the show by Harlequins team-mate Danny Care, who also believes he may have had coronavirus.

“I don’t think I had it half as bad as what Ashy did,” said the scrum-half.

“I had a lot of those same symptoms, but mine only lasted for two or three days and then it petered out.”