Christian Wade will start for Newcastle Red Bulls against Sale Sharks on Friday night, with the winger in position to move past Chris Ashton on the all-time PREM try-scoring list if he scores two tries.
The match at Kingston Park comes after both clubs were beaten in their EPCR fixtures last weekend. Newcastle Red Bulls lost 47-14 to the Scarlets in the Challenge Cup, while Sale Sharks went down 47-27 to Glasgow Warriors in the Champions Cup.
Wade’s record chase adds extra weight
Wade has already been one of the standout stories of the early season, scoring five tries in three league outings and arriving on 100 top-flight tries. Two more would take him past Ashton, whose place at the top of the list has stood as a notable milestone in English club rugby.
That gives the Northern derby a clear individual storyline, even before the table implications are considered. Newcastle can leapfrog Sale with a win, while Sale can move into the top four. Either outcome would give the result added importance after a weekend in which both sides came up short in Europe.
Team news and selection notes
The selection also includes Tom and Ben Curry starting together for Sale for the first time since June 2025. That is one of four changes for Alex Sanderson’s side, which will be looking for a response after the defeat to Glasgow Warriors.
For Newcastle Red Bulls, the game is an opportunity to build on a strong individual start from Wade and turn it into a team result. With the record chase, the league position battle and a Friday night meeting between Newcastle Red Bulls and Sale Sharks, this has become more than just another mid-season fixture.
