Rugby union turned American football star Christian Wade believes Eddie Jones was ‘awkward’ and didn’t want to call him up to the England setup. Wade made the move from rugby union to American football in 2018, where he joined up with NFL outfit Buffalo Bills.
Prior to his switch, the 31-year-old was last called up to the England side all the way back in 2013, where he made one appearance. Whilst he continued to impress on the domestic stage, Wade was never recalled, despite a number of conversations with Jones.
As a result, Wade revealed in an interview with the Telegraph that the England boss was a ‘bit of an awkward one’ when offering him somewhat empty feedback on how he could break into the team.
He said: “He wanted me to work on the stuff I was already good at, already smashing. I obviously said to him ‘yeah, that’s what I’m doing and will continue to do. But it wasn’t very informative, you know what I’m saying? How do I get in the team, what’s the purpose of this call?
“It was almost like he called me so that when I spoke to the media I could say he had called me. Before there wasn’t really much chat, but I guess at the time there was pressure on him because of the performances I was putting in. It was almost a courtesy call. I’d rather if you have nothing to say, just don’t call me.
"I think I should be in the team, if you don’t think that then that’s fine, but just be straight up. Say what it is, I’m not picking you for whatever reason, or if you don’t want to say why then just don’t call me and let me get on with it." After four years out in the States Wade also admitted he is contemplating a return to rugby union, adding: “Ultimately, [Wasps] do want me to come back.”
An incentive for the 31-year-old to make a return to rugby is the Premiership all-time try record currently held by Chris Ashton on 95. Wade finishes himself just 13 back on 82, and is confident of being able to secure the record in just one season. “I can do that in one season,” he added.
"I’ve been doing that since I was a kid. That’s something I’m intrigued by, being back in the Premiership one day to claim that title." A concrete decision is yet to be made on the 31-year-old’s future, but if he does turn his back on American football and never compete in the NFL again, the Englishman is more than proud of his achievements.
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He commented: “I’m fulfilled. Everything I went through leading up to that first touchdown, in that moment, all the lows and the days where I woke up at 6am thinking it was mad hard and had I made the right decision, is this what I signed up for? Those thoughts would go through my head all the time when I was being shouted at and getting stuff wrong.”
On his NFL debut Wade remarkably scored a maiden touchdown for the Bills, and at that moment the Englishman knew the huge change was all worth it, adding: “When I scored, in that moment it was what I needed to cement in my head and give myself that thumbs up to say I had made the right decision, that everything I had been through was all worth it in that moment. If I didn’t make a 53-man roster, or touch the field ever again, for that moment alone it was amazing."
