EX-WASPS AND England rugby player Christian Wade enjoyed a stunning start to his NFL career, scoring a 65-yard touchdown with his first touch in a pre-season game for the Buffalo Bills.
Wade, who left a rugby union career behind him last year to focus on forging a career in American Football, is battling to win a place on Buffalo’s 53-man roster for the regular season.
In his opening game at running back against the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday night, he collected a ball off quarterback Tyree Jackson and tore through a gap in the defence for an impressive touchdown.
In his first football game ever. On his first NFL touch.
— NFL (@NFL) August 9, 2019
Former England rugby superstar Christian Wade just scored a 65-yard TD!!!@ChristianWade3 #INDvsBUF pic.twitter.com/4You01TFXz
Regarded as one of the most lethal finishers in Premiership Rugby history, Wade arrived in America as part of the International Player Pathway Program, which aims to help overseas talent break into the NFL.
He scored 82 tries in the Premiership and was part of the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia in 2013.
The 28-year-old is hoping to join a Bills roster that also includes veteran running backs LeSean McCoy and Frank Gore.
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Great move for Seanie . The league will be a poorer place without player’s like him. Wish him all the best
It’s a good thing Cork have an 18 point lead. Wish him all the best but I’m gutted that he’s leaving, the league is a better place with players like him. He was class last night.
City still have him for up to 7 league games and a couple of European ties. Watch how quickly he gets called up to Ireland squad now that he doesn’t play here. Sad but true.
And when he arrives at Preston, he’ll suddenly be good enough for the Ireland squad!
Preston have some amount of Irish players now. Good luck to him! Thought Cork would try keep him for their European games
@Joey McCarthy: although just checked he will be around for early rounds of European games.
He’ll get on the magic plane which takes off in Ireland and when it lands in England he’ll have improved so much he’ll get called in to the national squad
@Michael Hanrahan: no guarantee he’ll get in Preston side… and if he does he will probably deserve a call up as the championship is a much higher level than league of ireland, despite what people seem to think on here…. horgan best player in loi last year, but has struggled to make starting 11 for Preston recently after a bright start
@blueman79: yet he’s been in every squad since he joined them regardless of his form eith PNE
Great for him snd great for city. Will win the league and make a few quid along the way. Happy days
Would of been nice for him to stay until the end of the season. Cork took him off the bench at Dundalk and are on their way to a great season. Surely a few months wouldn’t have stopped him moving. Interesting to see who Cork replace him with now.
@Dan: I think Brian Kerr made a good point last night when he said Maguire needed to be at Preston for the pre season. It’s his best chance of staking a claim in the team. I know Horgan went in January but he didn’t get into the team straight away. Tough on Cork though.
Everyone’s second team in England has now become Preston. Will be keeping an eye on their results, best of luck to all the Irish lads!!
Can expect to see hin in the Ireland squad in August so
Best of cork luck seanie,go all the way boy
Great and we’ll deserved movie for him. Definitely should be involved with Ireland more than he has been and now that he’s moved to the championship O’Neill will probably cap him even though he deserved his first cap a while ago.
@Dave Murray: bit early for a movie although Vardy had got one
@Brian Les: Doh! Major face palm from me.
@Dave Murray: v good
lets hope they got a decent fee with a future percentage sell on clause not like in previous cases to clubs across the water.
Great if he was loaned back to City till end of season. Prob won,t happen though, fully deserves his chance, can make an impact in championship as well.No shortage of strickers wanting to come to City now i,d say. Best support base, biggest club in Ireland now and unique atmosphere at Turners Cross.
Delighted for him he deserves it lots of Irish players at Preston now
Let’s hope Richie towell gets a fair crack at Brighton .. great move for maguire- hope it works out
@Niall: Chris Hughton has said that he’s going to send Richie out on loan to the championship
Called up to the Ireland squad now guaranteed
If mcgeady sign permanently they can make a real push for automatic promotion
@Ciarán Linnane: i cant see aidan doing aswell this season im afraid
@John Delaney: hope he does
Feck. Would have preferred he stayed till seasons end. We haven’t won the league in 12 years like
Let’s hope Kevin o c,and Ryan d,dont go