Christian Wade’s Wigan debut: errors but promise as Super League debut looms

It was a reserve game against Castleford Tigers played in front of a few hundred spectators on Thursday night, but Christian Wade’s Wigan Warriors career is up and running.

The rugby union convert, who was scoring tries for Gloucester in the Gallagher Premiership only last Saturday, played around 50 minutes as John Duffy’s youthful side cantered to a 56-10 victory at Wheldon Road.

Wade, an elder statesman at 34, started on the right wing and provided a superb assist for Jack Farrimond’s try during the first half before being replaced in the third quarter of the match.

Wade had no try-scoring opportunities himself and made a couple of early handling errors, but he remains in fine physical condition and came through the match unscathed.

All told it was a debut he could be pleased with, having only started training with his new club on Wednesday.

Wigan boss Matt Peet watched on from the stands and could now hand Wade a Super League debut against Huddersfield Giants – a match to be played at Dewsbury Rams – on Saturday, June 14.

It was announced on Good Friday that Wade had agreed to join the Warriors on a short-term deal from June until the end of the current Super League campaign.

Abbas Miski’s absence after knee surgery will sideline him for the next couple of months, which has necessitated that Wigan get Wade up to speed as quickly as possible.

As he showed at Kingsholm last weekend when running in two tries against Northampton on his final appearance for Gloucester, Wade remains a fine physical specimen despite his advancing years.

His farewell brace took Wade to 93 Premiership career tries – only ex-Wigan winger Chris Ashton has more with 101.

Wade still has plenty of speed as he showed against Northampton by racing from distance to score but against Castleford – in a code he had never played before – chances were scarce.

Wade dropped a high bomb on his 10-metre line early on and then intercepted a pass on his right flank – only to throw the ball straight into the arms of a Castleford player.

The basic rudiments of rugby league – carrying the ball, and indeed playing the ball on every tackle – were not elements of the game he gained much experience of.

That was because Wade saw precious little of the ball but he did show outstanding awareness to spot Farrimond supporting him inside the right channel and a delightful inside pass sent the scrum-half racing over the line.

That, though, was as good as it got Wade in his first outing in a Wigan jersey as he was replaced relatively early in the second half as the Warriors’ youngsters ran amok.

Peet will already be planning for next weekend’s game against Huddersfield, when Wade could make his Super League bow on the right flank.

Having swapped the cherry and white of Gloucester for the cherry and white of Wigan, the latest chapter in a career which has seen Wade represent England in the 15-a-side code and spend time in the States playing American football is now well and truly underway.