WIGAN WARRIORS have signed rugby union star Christian Wade on a deal until the end of the season.
It’s a move Martin Offiah has described as “the biggest coup for the sport of Rugby League since Jonathan Davies joined me at Widnes in the 80s”.
Wade, a former England international, will make the sensational move following the end of the Premiership season with his current club Gloucester.
It will be a third sport for the 33-year-old, who has also previously tried his hand at American football with Buffalo Bills.
“I’m excited to join Wigan Warriors, a club with a tremendous legacy,” said Wade, who has previously played for Wasps and Racing in rugby union as a winger.
“I’m honoured to be joining a list of legendary players who have played for this club.
“I’m looking forward to this next chapter in my career and I can’t wait to get started.”
Wigan legend Offiah is one of Rugby League’s most famous names and moved to the 13-a-side code, alongside Welsh hero Davies, in a period when such moves were common in the UK.
Rugby union’s move to professionalism ended that trend and with wages now higher at the top of that code than in League, switches have become rare and more commonly in the opposite direction.
Wade is exempt from the Super League salary cap for the length of his deal due to a dispensation for new players to the sport and Wigan CEO Kris Radlinski said: “The new talent pool exemption was created precisely for this type of recruitment.
“Christian is an exceptional athlete with highly transferable skills suited to Rugby League.
“His impressive track record speaks for itself and we are genuinely excited about the impact he can make throughout the remainder of the 2025 season.”
Wade has 89 Premiership tries to his name, putting him fourth in the competition’s scoring chart, twelve behind leader Chris Ashton, another cross-code player who started his career with Wigan.
Internationally, he won one England cap in 2013 and has also played in non-cap fixtures for both England and the British and Irish Lions.
Wade pursued an American football career in 2018 and spent three years on the Bills’ roster as a running back without making an NFL appearance.
His signing is an impressive move by the Warriors as they bid to win Super League for the third year running and maintain their dominant position in the sport.
Head coach Matt Peet said: “We look forward to welcoming Christian and his partner Lisa to Wigan.
“As well as working hard to learn a new sport, we are expecting Christian to bring his own personality to the team in terms of his athleticism, skill and experience.
“I know Wigan fans will be excited and give him an amazing welcome.”
His arrival date at Wigan is currently unknown with Gloucester in contention for the Premiership play-offs. The competition’s final is on June 14.
