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Christian Wade's fledgling American football career given fresh hope after weekend blow

Christian Wade made the transition from rugby to NFL.

Former England and Wasps winger Christian Wade has taken to Instagram after making the Buffalo Bills practice squad for the upcoming NFL season. 

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The 28-year-old failed to make the Bills’ 53-man roster over the weekend but he has been retained in the practise squad to develop over the coming year. 

He only started his career in American football at the beginning of 2019 with the international player pathway and was allocated to the Bills in April, so he is still raw in the sport. But his very first match in his new profession drew a lot of attention in Britain, as the speedster scored a stunning touchdown. 

However, while he did not do enough to earn a place for the 2019 NFL season, he said on Instagram that he is “looking forward to continuing learning and working even harder to develop as a football player!”

Wade thanked the Bills for keeping him on and praised his family as he pursues this unique career change. He also thanked the NFL “for seeing the potential, supporting me and helping me develop into a football player”.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B189RjGAzEc/?utm_source=ig_web_options_share_sheet

Given the impression that he has made in such a short time, it will be fascinating to see how much progress is made with an entire year with the Bills. 

Wade’s ability with the ball in hand was never questioned during his career in rugby where he finishing his stint as the Premiership’s third top try-scorer.

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Playing as a running back in American football, he has already showed what he is capable of with his touchdown in his very first carry. His natural running talent could make him a serious prospect as he comes to grips with his new sport.

WATCH: Christian Wade’s reaction when he was first called into the American football scene

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M
MA 23 minutes ago
How the four-team format will help the Wallabies defeat the Lions

In regards to Mack Hansen, Tuipoloto and others who talent wasnt 'seen'..

If we look at acting, soccer and cricket as examples, Hugh Jackman, the Heminsworths in acting; Keith Urban in Nashville, Mike Hussey and various cricketers who played in UK and made the Australian team; and many soccer players playing overseas.


My opinion is that perhaps the ' 'potential' or latent talent is there, but it's just below the surface.


ANd that decision, as made by Tane Edmed, Noah, Will Skelton to go overseas is the catalyst to activate the latent and bring it to the surface.


Based on my personal experience of leaving Oz and spending 14 months o/s, I was fully away from home and all usual support systems and past memories that reminded me of the past.


Ooverseas, they weren't there. I had t o survive, I could invent myself as who I wanted, and there was no one to blame but me.


It bought me alive, focused my efforts towards what I wanted and people largely accepted me for who I was and how I turned up.


So my suggestion is to make overseas scholarships for younger players and older too so they can benefit from the value offered by overseas coaching acumen, established systems, higher intensity competition which like the pressure that turns coal into diamonds, can produce more Skeltons, Arnold's, Kellaways and the like.


After the Lion's tour say, create 20 x $10,000 scholarships for players to travel and play overseas.


Set up a HECS style arrangement if necessary to recycle these funds ongoingly.


Ooverseas travel, like parenthood or difficult life situations brings out people's physical and emotional strengths in my own experiences, let's use it in rugby.

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