Video: Christian Wade scores a try for Racing on his Top 14 debut

Former England international Christian Wade scored a try last Saturday on his Top 14 debut with Racing 92 four years after he played his last English Premiership match for Wasps. It was October 6, 2018, when the winger bowed out of rugby for a stint in American football at the Buffalo Bills.

Wade’s time in America ended earlier this year and he signalled his interest in a return to rugby at the start of the summer. Tightened budgets in the Premiership thwarted his return to the competition where his exploits still rank high on the list of all-time top try-scorers and he instead teased out an opening in France.

It was late August when he turned up at a sevens event in Pau to play for Racing, going on to score two tries in his first appearance and that trial performance opened the door to Wade signing a contract for the 2022/23 Top 14 season on September 12.

He wrote at the time on his Twitter account: “I’m excited to announce I’ve officially signed for Racing 92. Looking forward to working with this special group of people and winning championships! With God, all things are possible.”

Twenty-six days later, Wade made his Top 14 debut for the Parisian club on October 8 and he celebrated this left-wing start in style by fastening onto a cross-kick from Finn Russell to score in the 67th minute and help Racing to the 26-13 home win over Pau that lifted them to seventh in the table.

#TOP14 – J6
🎥 Découvre le classement des plus beaux essais de la journée !
5⃣ P. Gabrillagues | @SFParisRugby
4⃣ D. Paia'aua | @RCTofficiel
3⃣ G. Germain | @avironrugbypro
2⃣ C. Wade| @racing92
1⃣ R. Pieterse | @CastresRugby

Lequel préfères-tu ? pic.twitter.com/vinYMuEGgu

— TOP 14 Rugby (@top14rugby) October 10, 2022

Wade tweeted: “Feels like when I was younger and getting my debut for the 1st XV! Blessed to be back playing rugby.”

Racing had rugby league star Regan Grace signed from St Helens earlier this year only for the young Welshman to suffer a serious achilles injury, leaving the French club on the lookout for a replacement and the 31-year-old Wade now looks to have fitted the bill perfectly by lighting up the Paris La Defense Arena on his debut.