Report: Christian Wade reveals Wigan Warriors icon and plans beyond 2025 stint
The one-cap England rugby union wing plays at Twickenham this weekend for what could be the final time before joining the Super League champions in June.
He does so insisting he is under no illusions as to how big a challenge he faces to not only learn the new code but stake a claim to pull on the Cherry and White shirt.
It is that shirt, however, and his excitement at following in the footsteps of Martin Offiah, that has him fired up for this latest challenge of an extraordinary career.
“To wear the shirt Martin wore when he achieved such incredible things would be an honour and very cool,” says Wade.
“As I was coming through as a rugby player I knew all about him and his career. Not only as a rugby league legend but because he played for Wasps, the club where I spent the first 10 years of my career.
“Obviously he had a big influence on me in terms of another black guy being successful in the sport before me.
“And since hearing my news he has been so excited for me, telling me how much I’m going to enjoy it and how he believes the game is suited to me, with my footwork and my finishing ability.”
Offiah has described the 33-year old’s signing as “the biggest coup for the sport of rugby league since Jonathan Davies joined me at Widnes back in the 80s.”
With three games left of the Gallagher Premiership season Wade’s Gloucester could yet make the post-season and extend his stay until the Grand Final on June 14.
But his thoughts have already turned to league, aware he needs to be “up to speed with at least the basics” given he is about to be thrown in at the deep end.
“Wigan are a really good team, I don’t expect myself to just go up there and just be straight in,” he adds. “It’s going to be a collaborative effort to get me where I need to be.
“I’ll definitely be watching tapes of games and seeing if the coach can send me stuff so that I can get where I need to be. I’m unbelievably excited. I’ll do what I need to do to try and earn a spot.”
Wade knows he has his work cut out to get close to the impact Offiah made when switching codes. In his first season at Widnes the 21-year old scored 42 tries, breaking Frank Myler’s club record in the process.
“I’ve always believed that anything is possible,” says the Slough-born flyer, whose 90 Premiership tries put him only 11 behind record holder and former Wigan Warrior, Chris Ashton. “That’s why I make the decisions I’ve made.”
The most notable, of course, was turning his back on rugby union the first time to pursue a new career as a running back in American football.
He would spend three years in the Buffalo Bills’ organisation and while he did not play a regular season match in the NFL is remembered on both sides of the Atlantic for his astonishing start.
Playing his first game in his new sport he was handed the ball for the first time and ran it back 65 yards for a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts.
“All the way from England to the house!” screamed the commentator. “Look at Wade go. Unbelievable!”
Wade did not intend to come back to rugby after that, yet having seen him swap one sport for another opened other people’s minds to the notion he might.
That is when the approaches from rugby league first began. Wade says he started getting offers from teams from 2018 onwards. At that point he had no interest, but once his Bills adventure ended RL came for him again.
“I never really thought about playing rugby league,” he admits. “I started getting offers from teams from 2018 but I wasn’t interested in doing that. My focus was on the NFL. I just didn’t see myself playing league.
“Four years later, when I was back in union in France, playing for Racing 92, the requests started again. I couldn’t believe after all that time teams were wanting me to play league.
“I still wasn’t really interested in going that route. But two years after that Wigan came to the table with a fresh vision of what they’re trying to achieve, and how I would fit into that. It was an opportunity I had to take.”
There was the Offiah factor, but also the fact Shaun Edwards was Wade’s first coach at Wasps. Then there was Jason Robinson, one of Wade’s idols growing up and someone he had turned to when going through some tough times.
“Not forgetting Andy Farrell,” Wade adds. “Faz was a coach of mine when I went to the England set-up and the [2013] Lions tour.
“So it just feels right, to be able to go and play for a club that has such a huge legacy, and to try to follow in the footsteps of these legendary guys I’ve been lucky enough to work with in union.”
What the future holds beyond this season no-one knows.
“We’ll see how things go,” says the player. “Since I’ve come back to union, I’ve only been signing short-term deals, maximum of a year.
“I believe that enables me to stay open and get the most out of my last few years playing rugby.”
