How America reacted to Christian Wade's touchdown
Christian Wade has made an emphatic start to his NFL career with an audacious 59-metre touchdown.
The NFL’s official Twitter account posted the match highlight, which shows Wade doubtlessly winning over countless fans with his first touch of the football.
The reaction to Christian Wade’s stunning solo touchdown against Indianapolis Colts was overwhelmingly positive. In the fourth quarter of the game, Wade managed to run 50 metres of the pitch completely unchallenged. Wade’s uncertainty about where to go once he scored the touchdown spoke volumes about how new the former Wasps man is to the American game.
The video of his touchdown has already amassed 1.1 million views on Buffalo Bills‘ Twitter account.
The former England international showed off his trademark pace, receiving the ball on his own 30-yard line then skipping through the defence to net his team the 6-pointer.
The commentators were in raptures with Christian Wade’s score – but perhaps not as much as the Buffalo fans.
“They are going crazy for their friend from England,” said one commentator.
Since the game, Wade has enjoyed a flurry of positive exposure from American sports media. The Buffalo Bills’ Twitter account even named itself a “Christian Wade fan account until further notice”.
This a Christian Wade fan account until further notice.
More #INDvsBUF photos: https://t.co/ihWtCgQgWR pic.twitter.com/MhzbiHbJ25
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) August 9, 2019
Many fans were keen to comment on how bizarre the situation was. With some comparing it to an NFL star in the English domestic football league scoring an overheard goal on their first appearance. Wade appeared to be very smooth in the moments where he was involved for the American outfit.
It’s like Odel Beckham scoring an overhead kick on his first touch for Burnley (in a preseason friendly).
— Stu Bennett (@StuBennett) August 9, 2019
Others were keen to make witty remarks about the 28-year-old’s change in sports. It’s clear to see that Wade will continue to be labelled as a rugby man for months to come.
He didn’t even….try…
— Bobby Boswell (@bobbyboswell) August 9, 2019
Bills fans were clearly very happy to hear that Wade was impressing for their team. Even if it was a pre-season game.
I’m a biased Bills fan, but what a cool story. The Bills sign British rugby star Christian Wade and he runs for a 65 yard touchdown on his first ever touch. Is it the preseason? Yes. But it’s what makes #SportsGreat #HappyFriday https://t.co/SfoMF2z1pd
— David Kaplan (@DKaplanFox5DC) August 9, 2019
“This NFL is easy…”
— J. (@socalsabresfan) August 9, 2019
Some fans even rated Wade above other Bills regulars, down to his powerful running which earned him a name in rugby.
Wade above Perry and Murphy imo because when he took off on the run everyone noticed his speed, he’s also a tough runner because of rugby. Yeldon definitely had the worst night of them all. Murphy and Perry were solid. It’s just power rankings they can change drastically.
— Buffalo Sports Talk (@BUFSportsTalk) August 9, 2019
Wade still has a very long way to go in the American game. But moments like this will raise his stock in the sport tenfold.
Comments on RugbyPass
Starts to be overdone and oversold this systematic SA narrative…which nevertheless has the merit in this case to recognise blatant refereeing mistakes in their favor
2 Go to commentsNice article. Shades of Steinbeck. They can win the final if they take the game seriously; but only if they take it seriously.
2 Go to commentsWhat a sad way to end a glittering career. Somebody should tell him to delete his social media accounts and face the consequences of what he's done. Then he should slip away quietly into obscurity. This isn't likely to happen, something tells me he'll be back in The Sun / Daily Mail sooner rather than later.
3 Go to commentsguys its fine! he understands why he did what he did and has taken accountability for it; why should he have to be accountable to a court? after all he did was abuse people in person - its not as if he was engaging in _online_ abuse!
3 Go to commentsChiefs flanker Kaylum Boshier yellow-carded for collapsing the scrum as it rolled towards the line. It was a maul….
1 Go to commentsyou know, i’m a leinster fan so I want Northampton to lose and it is gonna be tuff with Cortney lawes, Alex michell and the other guys🏉 lets go leinster🏉
1 Go to commentsWelcome to the Pro ranks. Those hard teams of old do hit the sole better though. its a dog fight at the top.
6 Go to commentsCan someone fill me in please, I've read a number of Ben Smith articles now and it seems he's got something again South Africa? Surely, this game was over and done with 7 months ago. Can't we have something a bit more interesting and relevant, or is this the calibre of journalist on this site?
228 Go to commentsNot sure what the Welsh are moaning about. They’ve had far more players off England, than England have had off Wales. Guys like Josh Hathaway and Kane James will play for Wales in the end. And they’ll be fsr better players for having played in the Gallagher Premiership, than they ever would have been had they stayed mired in the shambles that is Welsh rugby.
4 Go to commentsThis is all being blown totally out of proportion. First of all, since half the Irish team isn’t Irish - it’s very likely that none of the Irish players said that at all and, thus, we’re not being arrogant. Second, since half the Irish team is Kiwi - it’s very likely the Kiwi players were predicting a NZ SA World Cup final. Which they got spot on. Good on them!
163 Go to commentsAha. An Irishman with logic! Follow the flow: - Ireland peaks with a >80% win record between 2020 and 2023. And then… - crashes out of another QF at the WC; - Beat a poor French Team; - Beat 6N wooden spoonists Italy; - Play shite against eventual wooden spoonists Wales; - Lose against the most boring, “the worst English team ever” , a team widely regarded as unable to attack; - scrape through against Scotland. This article, No - Trimble, is on the money! Except for one glaring statement: _The Springboks have a few aces in the hole in this debate being the reigning world champions and official world number ones_ There is no debate, boys and girls. There it is. In black and white. “Reigning World Champions and OFFICIAL world number ones”. Come July, the overrated Andy Farrell and this overhyped team are going to enter into a world of hurt.
87 Go to commentsI’d like to know what homoerotic events Daniel enjoyed at 8th man. I clearly missed out!
19 Go to commentsThis article is missing some detail, like some actual context or info about what led to him abusing the ref.
2 Go to comments*They used to say that football is a gentleman sport watched by hooligans and rugby is a hooligan sport watched by gentlemen. How times have changed.*
3 Go to commentsexcept ot wasnt late wasnt late at all so dont know why you all saying its late he commits early and its your fault fir not paying attention
30 Go to commentsNot sure the Bulls need another average utility back in their ranks. Chamberlain has been ok for the Sharks but is by no means an X-Factor player. Bulls bought several utility backs which they barely use. A typical example would be Henry Immelman who plays mostly Fullback. The Bulls however have rarely played him this year and he has played wing or centre. Bulls want to build depth but seems like they have too many surplus players
1 Go to commentsABs lost against a side playing without a hooker - The guy playing, had one shoulder. Line outs were a gimme for the ABs, and the last 8 minutes 14 played 14 against a team that had been smashed 3 weeks in a row… Yet with all that possession, with all that territory, with all the advantages they actually had, especially in the last 8 minutes, they couldn’t buy a point. Those last 8 minutes determined if they outplayed the Boks or not. History will show that the Boks completely outplayed the ABs, especially in those last 8 minutes, the business end of any rugby match
228 Go to commentsWould’ve, could’ve, should’ve, didn’t.
228 Go to commentsKok will become a fan favourite
1 Go to commentsI am really looking forward to Leigh Halfpenny playing his first Super rugby game for the Crusaders Playing a long side his former Welsh and Scarlets team mate Johnny McNicoll.Johnny has been playing great, back in a Crusaders jersey.The attack has strengthened big time. Also looking forward to David Havili at 10. David is a class act, it also allows Dallas McLeod to remain at 12. A good thing.
1 Go to comments