Christian Wade Equals All-Time Premiership Try-Scoring Record
Christian Wade equalled Chris Ashton’s all-time Gallagher Premiership try-scoring record by running in his 101st career try during Newcastle Red Bulls’ 17-3 victory over Sale at Kingston Park. The milestone arrived over fifteen years after his first league try as a teenager, interspersed with stints playing American football and rugby league.
Equalling the Record Against Sale
Wade matched Ashton’s mark of 101 tries in the 49th minute, sprinting over to help Newcastle recover from a 3-0 interval deficit and secure their first league win of the season. The contest stood in stark contrast to the high-scoring 45-42 thriller between the two sides back in May. George Ford had opened the scoring for Sale with a penalty on 20 minutes before Newcastle took control after the break, with captain George McGuigan adding a second try from a pushover line-out and Josh Hodge contributing seven points from the boot.
The match also brought positive news for England head coach Steve Borthwick as the Curry twins made their first start together in 16 months. Ben played an hour following hamstring rehabilitation, while Tom completed his fourth appearance for club and country since February.
Fifteen Years of Tries and Detours
Wade’s journey to the record began in May 2011 when he scored his first Premiership try for Wasps in a defeat away to Exeter Chiefs playing alongside England World Cup winners Josh Lewsey and Simon Shaw. He accumulated 82 tries for Wasps, finishing as the league’s leading try-scorer in the 2012-13, 2016-17, and 2017-18 seasons.
His pursuit of the record featured a six-year hiatus beginning in 2018 when he moved to the United States to join the Buffalo Bills through the NFL International Player Pathway. Although he featured in pre-season and spent time on the practice squad, he did not appear in a regular-season NFL game before returning to rugby union with French club Racing 92, where he scored 10 tries over two seasons. A subsequent single-season spell with Gloucester added 11 Premiership tries to his tally, followed by a six-month stint in rugby league with Wigan Warriors before arriving at Newcastle.
The Chase at Saracens
Ashton’s record of 101 tries had stood for over three years. Following his latest try, Wade noted that personal milestones are secondary to team execution. “I sometimes feel the record is more important to other people than it is to me,” Wade said, adding that his focus remains on system execution and team cohesion.
Wade will have the opportunity to surpass Ashton and claim the record outright next Saturday when Newcastle travel to face Saracens.