Christian Wade to leave Wigan for return to union with Newcastle Red Bulls
34-year-old wing to rejoin rugby union in December after short-term Super League spell; move is among Newcastle's first following Red Bull takeover
Christian Wade will leave reigning Super League champions Wigan Warriors at the end of the rugby league season to return to rugby union with Newcastle Red Bulls from December, the clubs confirmed.
The 34-year-old joined Wigan on a short-term deal from Gloucester at the end of the 2024–25 Premiership season. He made two appearances for the Warriors, scoring tries in both matches, but did not feature after making persistent handling errors when fielding high kicks in a July defeat by Hull FC.
Wade said it had been "an absolute honour to be involved with a great club like Wigan Warriors, and they've been fantastic with me." He added: "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 head coach Matt Peet paid tribute to Wade's professionalism, 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 clear to see why he has had such an outstanding career." The club said Wade will remain with Wigan until the end of the current Super League campaign.
Newcastle boss Steve Diamond described Wade's arrival as a significant capture following the club's takeover by Red Bull. "He performed to a really high standard for Gloucester last season and challenged himself by joining the best rugby league team in the country, which just goes to show the enthusiasm he still has to broaden his knowledge and skill base," Diamond said. "I've always been impressed by his ability on the field, but when we met a short while ago to discuss the possibility of him joining us I was struck by what an articulate and ambitious guy he is, even having achieved so much throughout his career."
Wade's career has spanned both union and a spell attempting American football. He scored 82 tries in seven seasons for Wasps before accepting a route into the National Football League via the Buffalo Bills' International Player Pathway in 2019. He scored a 65-yard touchdown on his preseason debut for the Bills but never made a regular-season appearance and returned to rugby union in 2022 with Racing 92 in France. He moved to Gloucester in 2024, scoring 11 tries in 14 games, and then signed for Wigan for the remainder of the Super League season.
Wade is the second-highest try scorer in Premiership history, eight tries behind Chris Ashton's record. His move to Newcastle is among the club's first announced signings since the Red Bull takeover and marks a return to the 15-a-side game after his brief spell in rugby league.
Wigan confirmed the departure will take effect at the conclusion of their season and wished Wade well. Newcastle have not disclosed the length of the contract but said he will join their squad in December, ahead of the next Premiership campaign.