Christian Wade: Newcastle Red Bulls winger on verge of Prem try-scoring record

What marks sporting greatness?

Talent, obviously. You do not get through the door without it.

Longevity, absolutely. The ability to do it day after day, week after week should never be under-estimated.

And adaptability, the desire for self-improvement, whether physical or mental to adapt to changes in rules, opponents, conditions.

In Prem Rugby history, there have been few better than Christian Wade.

The Newcastle Red Bulls winger sits on 100 career tries in the competition, one behind Chris Ashton’s all-time record of 101.

A hat-trick away to Exeter Chiefs in their last Prem fixture meant Wade became only the second player to reach a century of tries.

Now as Newcastle prepare to welcome Sale Sharks on Friday night (19:45 BST) as part of the league’s derby weekend, the 35-year-old has his first opportunity to equal and then surpass Ashton’s record.

All this, over 15 years after scoring his first, and with spells in two other sports in that time means we are not in the company of an average sportsperson.

Ashton’s mark of 101 has stood for over three years or 1,285 days to be exact, but Wade is now within touching distance.

While the former England winger regularly jokes on television and radio about losing his record, Wade insists overtaking Ashton is not on his mind.

“I sometimes feel the record is more important to other people than it is to me,” he said.

“I am someone who is going to score tries. That’s what I do. That’s what I love to do. But that is the result of the team performing well and us having great cohesion.

“My main focus is being in that system and executing what we’re trying to do. The better we can do, the more tries I’m going to score as a result.”