Christian Wade signs for Newcastle Red Bulls and declares 'I'm coming to get' Chris Ashton Gallagher PREM try-scoring record

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Newcastle Red Bulls have continued their recruitment drive with another high-profile addition, confirming the signing of former England international Christian Wade. The north-east club were taken over by energy drink giant Red Bull this summer, assuming the club's debts and quickly stabilising a side which finished bottom of the Gallagher PREM in the last three seasons.

'Ashy, what's up my dude!' - Wade shouts out Ashton as he closes on try record

Video credit: TNT Sports

Newcastle Red Bulls have confirmed the signing of former England international Christian Wade as they continue to rebuild under new ownership.

Energy drinks giant Red Bull completed their takeover of the PREM club last month and have set about adding numerous recruits.

Director of rugby Steve Diamond has now added 34-year-old Wade to the team after a stint playing rugby league with Wigan Warriors.

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Red Bull have stabilised the club, assuming responsibility for a reported £39 million in debt and setting out bold ambitions of winning major trophies.

Wade, who has not played since July, scored twice for Wigan in just two appearances. He joined Wigan on a short-term deal after initially returning to the Premiership to play for Gloucester last year.

Newcastle will be Wade's third team since his return to rugby union in 2022.

After seven seasons at Wasps, he left rugby union to pursue an NFL career with the Buffalo Bills – taking advantage of the NFL’s International Player Pathway Programme.

Wade signed for Racing 92 upon his return to rugby before joining Gloucester for the 2024/25 season.

‘Come on, help me out’ – Ashton’s hilarious reaction as Wade closes on Prem try record

Video credit: TNT Sports

Wade scored 11 tries for Gloucester, taking his total Premiership tally to 93 tries – eight behind Chris Ashton’s all-time record.

Of that high-water mark, Wade said: "I’m coming to get that record.

"Of course rugby is a team sport and the main thing for me is being a positive influence in helping the overall Newcastle side to perform, but I’m not going to pretend I don’t want to be the all-time top try-scorer in the league’s history.

"I said when I signed for Gloucester that it would take me two years, and I was able to be part of a team which surprised a lot of people in finishing in the top half of the table.

"I’ve now got this fantastic opportunity with Newcastle Red Bulls, and when I spoke to Dimes about it he just said ‘we want you to come up here, express yourself and get that record.’"

Newcastle have finished bottom of the Premiership in each of the past three seasons but their recruitment drive - pushed by their new ownership - has begun to plug the gaps left by several summer departures.

Vintage Wade as Gloucester winger scores scorching intercept try

Video credit: TNT Sports

Wade added: "There’s massive buzz about the whole Newcastle Red Bulls project, and I can’t wait to be part of it.

"Red Bull are a commercial and sporting giant who are right at the cutting edge of high performance, and any athlete would want to be associated with something like that.

"When I met with Steve Diamond he was stressing the whole culture of the club in a really positive way, and I’m keen to push myself in that kind of environment.

"There’s massive potential up at Newcastle now after some difficult years, and if I can help elevate the team during the early part of this new era then I think that would be something really special."

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