Newcastle Red Bulls Secure Christian Wade for Return too Rugby Union
Newcastle Red Bulls have announced the signing of former rugby league and union star Christian Wade, effective December, marking a significant early move following the club’s recent takeover by Red Bull. The 34-year-old will leave the Wigan Warriors, where his short stint in rugby league is concluding at the end of the current season.
Wade’s return to rugby union is notable as he previously switched codes to join wigan on a short-term deal from Gloucester at the end of the 2024-25 Premiership season. While he scored tries in his two appearances for Wigan, handling errors under the high ball ultimately limited his impact in the 13-a-side game, culminating in his last match for the Warriors in July against Hull FC.The move to Newcastle represents a fresh start for the second-highest try-scorer in Premiership history – only eight tries behind Chris Ashton’s record – and signals Red Bull’s intent to invest in high-profile talent.
“It’s been an absolute honor to be involved with a great club like Wigan Warriors, and they’ve been fantastic with me,” Wade stated. “I’ve never been someone to shy away from a challenge, I’ve learnt a lot from the experience and it’s a special organisation. Their fans are incredible, more like a football crowd with how tribal they are, and I’ve been proud to represent them.”
Wigan warriors head coach Matt Peet acknowledged Wade’s contribution, saying, “We’ve really enjoyed having him in the group and we wish him and his family all the very best as he moves on to this exciting new chapter with Newcastle. It is indeed clear to see why he has had such an outstanding career.”
