TOP 14. 3 (crazy) things to know about Christian Wade, the new recruit of Racing 92Rugby to XV, rugby to 7 and therefore NFL, the English winger Christian Wade (31 years old) is a jack of all trades. In 2019, he began his two-season American dream with the Buffalo Bills in the NFL. During this period, Wade was primarily a backup for the Bills and only played in a handful of games. But this experience has necessarily marked the interested party by training daily with the Illinois franchise.
The NFL a real advantage?
In the country of Uncle Sam, the English international (1 selection) has evolved as a Running Back. A position whose main objective is to gain ball meters in hand by sneaking through the defense. A goal that sticks to the rather explosive profile of the former Wasps player (1m78, 89 kg). Speed and vivacity seem to be necessary to make a difference in small spaces and escape the NFL behemoths. Thanks to these qualities, Wade could well shake up some Top 14 defenses. But that’s not all, the Running Back can also be used as a receiver, especially on short passes from quarterbacks. We therefore imagine that the native of the county of Berkshire in the south of England had to work on his agility and his hands. Fast, lively and agile, Christian Wade could be the right pickaxe for Laurent Travers and his family. But this NFL adventure also has some question marks… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09bAfX0zbsE
Benchmarks and a sense of the duel modified?
The last experience at XV dates back to the 2018-2019 season for the new Parisian, it will then be a question of benchmarks and his first matches could be approximate. Another difference, that of the placement, especially in defense where the English will have to quickly find his marks on the meadow. Helmeted and equipped with protections in recent years, his sense of the duel and his approach to contact have probably had to be modified by his freelance with the Bills. Qualities, but also gray areas, even if the main interested party assured that he had progressed in a press conference: “I have progressed, gained experience and a level of expertise that I think I can bring to a new team”. For Ile-de-France supporters, the first answers could well arrive on Saturday (5 p.m.) with the reception of Lyon.
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