Following the news that former England captain Owen Farrell will be joining Racing 92, Christian Wade has expressed his excitement for the new teammate. Wade joined Racing in 2022 after a three-year stint in the NFL, with the former Wasp ‘buzzing’ to have Farrell join him in Paris.
Wade called Farrell ‘one of the bests’, and is excited to line-up alongside the Saracen once his tenure at the StoneX Stadium comes to an end. Racing are known to have had some outstanding fly halves throughout their history, with Johnny Sexton and Finn Russell amongst those to have worn the club’s iconic 10 jersey. Speaking with BitcoinCasinos.com, Wade gave an update from inside the Racing camp, about his upcoming re-union with Farrell.
“The place is buzzing. Owen is one of the best. I’ve known him for a long time since we were both capped by Stuart Lancaster back in 2012. We have had some great fly halves in the past like Dan Carter. Johnny Sexton and Finn Russell. Now Owen. It’s great news. Stuart gave me my opportunity with England and took me on the tour to South Africa.
“Owen was on that tour as well and we got to know each other then. It will be brilliant to have him in the building! There were quite a few of us who were called up by Stuart who knew us when he oversaw the age group sides. Stuart changed England for the better when he took over and he was starting from scratch pretty much.”
Racing are having a storming season in the Top 14, and currently rule the roost from the top of the table. What’s all the more impressive, is that the Parisians have achieved this feat with a hole host of fresh faces, as the likes of former England head coach Stuart Lancaster heads up the coaching staff. Two-time Rugby World Cup winning Springbok Siya Kolisi joined the fray ahead of the new season, as did former England wing Henry Arundell, who has extended his stay in France, and written himself out of future England contention.
Speaking on what Owen Farrell can expect from an on-field perspective, Wade explained how Racing play are ‘different style’ of rugby to which the former England fly half may be accustomed to. Yet the former Buffalo Bills running-back believes that Farrell will enjoy the experience all the same.
“We are going pretty well as a team. We are top of the Top 14 table. We have had quite a few new players and a whole new management team with Stuart coming in from Leinster. We are playing a different style of rugby. There is a bit more structure to it. However, there has been a huge improvement in the time that we have been together even though we have had so many changes.
“I am really enjoying it. Owen will too. Everyone is so welcoming. We are looking forward to what the rest of the season will bring. Our whole mindset is on starting to win championships.”
Wade went on to discuss how Farrell will be ‘in for a treat’, with the Racing 92 coaching staff. Due to his time in the England set-up, Farrell is familiar with Stuart Lancaster, who left his post at Leinster last year, and has elevated Racing back to the peak of the Top 14.
“Stuart called me before he took the job at Racing just to get a feel for what it was like. In 2015 he was already a good coach and leader but now he is on a different level having helped to turn Leinster into the formidable force they are now.
“Before he went to Leinster he went round the world looking at how other sports worked and were ran including the NFL. He has picked up a load of leadership qualities to those he already had.
“I thought he was great the way he managed us with England. I was only 21 and very young. Now I am older and wiser and appreciate through my own experiences the things he has done and where he is now in his career. He is on a very different level to the past. I am blessed and privileged to be able to work with him again.
“The coaching team is incredible. Owen is in for a treat. Frederic Michalak is our back coach. Dimitri Szarzewski the forwards coach. Both were French internationals. And the ex All Black Joe Rokocoko is assistant backs coach and skills coach. And Yannick Nyanga is assistant forwards coach.
“We have a phenomenal coaching staff now. And Owen will love being involved with them. For me it is the best full coaching staff I have ever been involved in. They have such experience and all have played at the highest level. To have someone who I watched growing up and was my hero, as my backs coach it doesn’t get much better than that.”