Wigan Warriors have signed Gloucester winger Christian Wade in an eye-catching move on a short-term contract until the end of the current Super League season.
It is understood that legendary former Wigan winger Martin Offiah helped to broker the deal.
Offiah, who ended his playing career in union at Wasps, has spent time with Wade before today’s Good Friday derby at home to sworn enemies St Helens.
Wade, 33, is one of the highest try-scorers in Gallagher Premiership history, having scored a hat-trick in Gloucester’s 53-28 win over Bristol Bears on March 29.
His 89 Premiership tries are only bettered by Mark Cueto (90), Tom Varndell (92) and Chris Ashton (101) in the competition’s history.
CHRISTIAN WADE HAS A HAT-TRICK 🔥🔥🔥
– Most hat-tricks in #GallagherPrem history
– Levels Danny Care in 4th on most tries scored in the #GallagherPremLevels.#GallagherPrem | #BRIvGLOpic.twitter.com/cwGpZlFbXM
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) September 27, 2024
Now he will cross codes to join defending Super League champions Wigan from the start of June for the remainder of the campaign.
Wade began his career with Wasps, for whom he played 165 times, and appeared once for England in 2013.
He left rugby union in 2018 to pursue a career in the NFL and was contracted to the Buffalo Bills as a running back.
But Wade returned to the sport in 2022 with the French Top 14 side Racing 92 before signing for Gloucester at the start of the season.
He has impressed at Kingsholm and joining Wigan will likely see him line up on the right flank when he makes his debut in June.
Wigan are the current standard bearers in Super League, having won every trophy on offer last season.
They also broke new ground by playing a Super League fixture against Warrington Wolves on March in Las Vegas.
The signing of Wade will guarantee some much-needed eyeballs on the 13-a-side code at a time when the game is crying out for publicity.
There has been talk of the NRL (National Rugby League) buying a 33 per cent stake in Super League and overseeing a new broadcast deal with DAZN or Amazon Prime to provide worldwide coverage of the British competition.
Wade’s switch from union to league will raise eyebrows, although Wigan have a rich history of some of their biggest names going in the opposite direction.
Andy Farrell and Shaun Edwards, legendary former Wigan players, are now serving as British and Irish Lions coach, and France defence coach, respectively.
Former Wasps and Wales rugby union forward Andy Powell also had a spell with Wigan between 2013 and 2014.
Wigan Warriors have signed Gloucester winger Christian Wade in an eye-catching move on a short-term contract until the end of the current Super League season.
It is understood that legendary former Wigan winger Martin Offiah helped to broker the deal.
Offiah, who ended his playing career in union at Wasps, has spent time with Wade before today’s Good Friday derby at home to sworn enemies St Helens.
Wade, 33, is one of the highest try-scorers in Gallagher Premiership history, having scored a hat-trick in Gloucester’s 53-28 win over Bristol Bears on March 29.
His 89 Premiership tries are only bettered by Mark Cueto (90), Tom Varndell (92) and Chris Ashton (101) in the competition’s history.
CHRISTIAN WADE HAS A HAT-TRICK 🔥🔥🔥
– Most hat-tricks in #GallagherPrem history
– Levels Danny Care in 4th on most tries scored in the #GallagherPremLevels.#GallagherPrem | #BRIvGLOpic.twitter.com/cwGpZlFbXM
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) September 27, 2024
Now he will cross codes to join defending Super League champions Wigan from the start of June for the remainder of the campaign.
Wade began his career with Wasps, for whom he played 165 times, and appeared once for England in 2013.
He left rugby union in 2018 to pursue a career in the NFL and was contracted to the Buffalo Bills as a running back.
But Wade returned to the sport in 2022 with the French Top 14 side Racing 92 before signing for Gloucester at the start of the season.
He has impressed at Kingsholm and joining Wigan will likely see him line up on the right flank when he makes his debut in June.
Wigan are the current standard bearers in Super League, having won every trophy on offer last season.
They also broke new ground by playing a Super League fixture against Warrington Wolves on March in Las Vegas.
The signing of Wade will guarantee some much-needed eyeballs on the 13-a-side code at a time when the game is crying out for publicity.
There has been talk of the NRL (National Rugby League) buying a 33 per cent stake in Super League and overseeing a new broadcast deal with DAZN or Amazon Prime to provide worldwide coverage of the British competition.
Wade’s switch from union to league will raise eyebrows, although Wigan have a rich history of some of their biggest names going in the opposite direction.
Andy Farrell and Shaun Edwards, legendary former Wigan players, are now serving as British and Irish Lions coach, and France defence coach, respectively.
Former Wasps and Wales rugby union forward Andy Powell also had a spell with Wigan between 2013 and 2014.
