Wade equals Prem record as Newcastle beat Sale
Christian Wade equalled Chris Ashton’s Premiership record of 101 tries as Newcastle Red Bulls beat Sale Sharks 17-3 for their first league win of the season. The milestone came in a match shaped by difficult weather, kicking and resolute defence, giving Newcastle a result to build on.
Wade scored in the right corner nine minutes into the second half, while George McGuigan added a try from a maul; Brett Hodge kicked two conversions and a penalty for Newcastle. Sale, who had been unbeaten in their previous two league matches, scored three points. Newcastle had managed only five wins across the previous four Premiership seasons.
In short
- Wade reached 101 Premiership tries.
- Newcastle beat Sale 17-3.
- It was Newcastle’s first league win this season.
Explained simply
The Premiership is England’s top domestic rugby union competition. Newcastle Red Bulls and Sale Sharks are two of its clubs; Newcastle had struggled in recent seasons, while Sale began this campaign with two league matches without defeat.
Christian Wade is a winger, a player who usually attacks down the edge of the pitch. Chris Ashton previously held the Premiership record for career tries, a measure of how often a player has scored during league matches. Equalling that mark places Wade among the competition’s most prolific scorers.
The result matters to Newcastle as they seek to improve on a run of just five wins across the previous four Premiership seasons. It also ended Sale’s unbeaten start in the league, and showed how a match can be shaped by defence, kicking and difficult weather as well as tries.