Wade closes in on record as tries dominate Prem

Newcastle Red Bulls winger Christian Wade scored two tries during a 59-26 defeat at Northampton Saints, moving him within four scores of Chris Ashton's all-time record. The 35-year-old veteran has now recorded 97 career tries in Prem Rugby, trailing Ashton's benchmark of 101 after an opening round that produced a record 52 tries across five fixtures.

Newcastle head coach Dan McFarland praised Wade's lingering pace and professionalism, which was shaped partly by a three-year stint in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills. While Ashton acknowledged on BBC's Rugby Union Weekly podcast that Wade is close to breaking the record, Ashton expects younger players such as Northampton's Tommy Freeman to eventually push the all-time tally significantly higher.