Christian Wade signs for Wigan Warriors in switch to rugby league

By Canadian Press on April 18, 2025.

WIGAN, England (AP) — Christian Wade is making another switch and this time he’s staying in the rugby world.

The 33-year-old Wade, who spent three seasons trying to crack the Buffalo Bills’ active NFL roster only to return to rugby union, has signed to play for rugby league’s Wigan Warriors.

“I’m looking forward to this next chapter in my career and I can’t wait to get started,” Wade said in the team’s announcement Friday.

Wade scored 82 tries during a seven-year spell with rugby union’s Wasps before joining the NFL international player pathway program in 2019 and later signing with the Bills. He was assigned to the team’s practice squad.

He returned to rugby union with Racing 92 in 2022 and joined Gloucester for the current season.

Wade’s contract will start at the conclusion of Gloucester’s season in Premiership Rugby and extend for the remainder of Wigan’s campaign in the Super League.

“Christian is an exceptional athlete with highly transferable skills suited to rugby league,” Wigan chief executive Kris Radlinski said.

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AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby

The Associated Press