Christian Wade linked with NFL switch

Winger Christian Wade is set to leave Wasps and attempt to make a move into the NFL, according to reports.

Wasps made no comment when contacted by Press Association Sport on Friday morning and Wade was absent from the 23-man squad later named for the Champions Cup fixture against Bath.

With some 82 Premiership tries, Wade is currently third on the league’s all-time scorer list.

Wade, 27, won his so-far only England cap during 2013. He was also part of that year’s British and Irish Lions squad on the tour of Australia.

The winger has played five times for Wasps this season, the last being against Gloucester on October 6.

During a holiday to America in June, Wade posted a video of himself on Instagram doing a NFL-style fitness workout, which he signed off with the hashtag #OnlyTheBeginning.

Wade would not be the first rugby union player to try his hand at Gridiron.

Christian Scotland-Williamson moved from Worcester to join the Pittsburgh Steelers, while last year Alex Gray left Yorkshire Carnegie to link up with the Atlanta Falcons.