1
Gloucester look to Christian Wade to fill Louis Rees-Zammit vacancy
By Neil Fissler
Gloucester are attempting to bring ex-England international Christian Wade back to the Gallagher Premiership to replace Wales speedster Louis Rees-Zammit, who quit the club for the NFL.
ADVERTISEMENT
Rees-Zammit is ironically on the NFL’s International Player Pathway (IPP) since January, the same programme that the 32-year-old Wade joined when he quit Wasps in 2018.
Wade spent three seasons as a running back on the Buffalo Bills practice squad and has been playing for Racing 92 in the Top 14 since his return to Europe from America.
The 2013 British and Irish Lions tourist, who won one Test cap for England, has scored two tries in eight games for Racing this season under Stuart Lancaster after scoring seven in nine games in his first season in France.
With George Skivington desperately trying to bring in fresh blood at Kingsholm, Gloucester are banking on Wade finding the magical touch that saw him touch down 66 times in 115 games with Wasps before leaving for the NFL.
The Cherry and Whites, who are next to bottom in the Premiership with nine defeats in 12 games, are having trouble getting deals over the line.
Henry Arundell and Joe Cokanasiga both turned down moves to Kingsholm, while Rees-Zammit and Adam Hastings, who is rejoining Glasgow Warriors, both turned their backs on new deals.
ADVERTISEMENT
Their only confirmed new signing for the 2024/25 season is Cardiff scrum-half Tomos Williams, who has played in Wales’ three recent Guinness Six Nations defeats.
