CHRISTIAN WADE is too upbeat to moan, but he is so often asked about returning to rugby in the UK, writes Laurie Stone.

Fans of the game believe this flying wing has unfinished business here after leaving the Rugby Premiership more than three years ago to test his speed in American Football. 

Despite that absence though, he remains the league’s fourth highest try scorer of all time, with 82 – 10 behind his old Wasps teammate Tom Varndell, who leads that table but no longer plies his trade in the top flight.

“Yes, I could have stayed and set a record or come back to claim a No.1 stat to stand for a long time, but that’s not necessarily what I’m about,” says Wade, 30.

“I could never close the door on rugby completely, but I’m born to compete, to entertain, and I still have unfinished business and more history to write.” 

It’s clear that despite his prolific try scoring and a string of accolades, including the unique honour of being voted Players’ Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year in the same season (2012/13) he was also frustrated by few international opportunities: he scored on debut for England but only ever gained one full international cap.

But what’s also obvious is how Christian Wade’s electric pace on the sports field contrasts with a laid back attitude off it. He doesn’t dwell on perceived slights or setbacks: “I just thought ‘well if it’s not happening, then I’ll try another way get to the top’ – maybe that’s God’s plan.”

And America had beckoned for some time: “It wasn’t NFL (American Football) but NBA (US basketball) that fascinated me first.”

Rugby was also calling though; Wade grew up in High Wycombe, home to the highly regarded Royal Grammar School, with a strong rugby tradition that was quick to appreciate a player speedy enough to notch 10.8 seconds over 100m at the age of 16 – the UK junior record is 10.21 seconds. 

He was soon playing age grade games for England and made his Premiership club debut in 2011 with Wasps, finishing the season as the league’s second highest try scorer, with nine in 15 games.

Wade went on to become a star player for Wasps, with highlights including six tries in one match in 2016, matching the Premiership record, and other exploits that recently saw him elevated to Wasps’ Hall of Fame alongside other greats such as fellow England players Lawrence Dallaglio and Joe Worsley.

“I’m still in shock,” he said. “I never thought this would happen to me and I am so thankful to Wasps for investing in me and enabling me to have an impact on the team for all those years.”

He also played on the 2013 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia, but his England career stalled: “I just wasn’t getting picked and I wish someone had been straight with me about why, but I don’t hold any grudges. I just used that to spur me on to the next stage of my story.

“There are hundreds of other guys out there in the sport who suffered much worse in their careers and their lives.”

So, in April 2019, he signed for the NFL’s Buffalo Bills team based in Buffalo, New York state and made another typically speedy impact: a 65-yard touchdown on his first carry in the pre-season game against Indianapolis Colts. 

Though currently injured, he has enjoyed the experience: “My time with the Bills has been a whirlwind of emotions and I’ve built some great relationships and memories with players, staff, and coaches.”

But NFL was more different from rugby than he expected: “You can sit in meetings all day. The attention to detail is crazy but necessary and a big adjustment for me, as rugby doesn’t have extensive playbooks to learn and most of the gameplay is free flowing.

“Life in the US has also been great – like a home away from home. I’m very privileged to have a wife who was born and raised in Queens, New York.”

The lady in question is Lisa Ramos, who shot to fame on the hit US show America’s Next Top Model.

As Wade begins to prepare for life beyond sport, he spoke warmly of their relationship: “Lisa supports me in everything I do and it’s been a load off my back to have her by my side as I look to move into other things.

“My first love is music and while I grew up in the UK and now live in the US, I can also draw on a plethora of genres from our family roots in the Caribbean – mum’s family is from St Vincent and The Grenadines, while dad’s come from Anguilla and Montserrat.”

An accomplished drummer, who also helped younger brother Adam, 26, establish a successful career as a professional drummer – he plays for singer songwriter Craig David who tours the UK in April – Wade has now launched a company Next Generation Collective to create a performance events platform for new music talent.

He explained: “It’s for talented but unsigned artists who haven’t the funding to enable them to reach an audience, so I find the venues and use my name – and invite along some of my NFL buddies – to make things happen.

“I like the networking side and, while the company is embryonic at this stage and largely a social enterprise, it could turn into something that takes me forward. I’d also really like to get Adam involved because we were always close and can work well together.

“Ours is a tight-knit family, inspired by our parents (Ken and Arlene) – I was really homesick in the US during lockdown. Mum has always been the anchor for our family and dad has led by example, teaching us strong values and principles daily. 

“Without their combined support, love, discipline and teachings and our faith, I couldn’t even imagine where I would be today, and I know that they will inspire me on my next path in life.