One-cap England winger Christian Wade could make the ultimate comeback after only returning to the sport earlier this season.
The 31-year-old signed with Racing 92 in September after being released after spending three years with the NFL side Buffalo Bills having quit rugby union and Wasps in 2018.
Wade recently appeared for the French side in a Sevens competition, scoring a couple of tries and now has signed a deal with the Paris club on a one-season deal.
He’s since impressed in the Top 14 so much that former teammate Danny Cipriani believes he’s the best English winger in the world.
The fly-half wrote on Twitter: “This fella has left the country, had 4 years in a serious professional sport, come back and is still the best winger in England.
“I reckon it’s exactly the type of player our national team could do with at the World Cup…”
According to RUCK sources, it is believed that Steve Borthwick has reached out to the quick-footed player, Wade. However, in order to be considered eligible, Wade might have to return to the Premiership.
Reports suggest that Bath is considering the possibility of signing the winger to join Finn Russell, whom they have already recruited from Racing, for the upcoming season.
“Fan-centric innovations” – World Rugby set to introduce law changes for 2023 Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup of 2023 could potentially see the implementation of various law modifications that have undergone trial periods during the 2023 Super Rugby season.
Time restrictions on goal kicks, set pieces and, rucks and a streamlined TMO process are among a raft of fan-centric law innovations set to make the World Cup faster and more fluid than ever before.
Referees will enforce 90 seconds time limits on conversions, 60 seconds for penalty kicks, 30 seconds for scrums and lineouts to be set, and 5 seconds for the ball to be used at rucks, while TMOs will only interrupt play for serious, clear and obvious incidents of foul play.
The key changes are summarised in bullet points below:
The referee will put a stopwatch shot clock on kickers who will have 90 seconds to kick a conversion from the time a try is awarded, and 60 seconds for penalties, from the time the referee signals a shot at goal.
Match officials will expect lineouts and scrums to be formed within 30 seconds of the respective marks being set, and the ball to be used within 5 seconds of a ruck being formed.
