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It would appear to be a case of when, not if, Newcastle Red Bulls flyer Christian Wade breaks Chris Ashton’s long-standing PREM try record.
Purple form left Wade just one short of Ashton’s landmark of 101 tries in Friday night’s northern derby against Sale Sharks in Kingston Park.
Just as Ashton did in 2023 while seeing out his Leicester career, dual-code winger Wade brought up his century with a hat-trick against Exeter in the third round earlier this month.
Ashton has held the record for four years, surpassing Tom Varndell’s tally of 92 tries in 2022, but Wade will do well to hold on for as long as he eventually gets there, with Tommy Freeman leading the way behind him.
While brief spells in American football and rugby league disrupted 35-year-old Wade’s career as a union player, which saw him previously play for Wasps and Gloucester, there seems to be no stopping Northampton and England star Freeman, especially because of the way the game is going.
Last season’s joint-leading try scorer with Noah Caluori, with 18, Freeman is tied for the top spot again this season, joining Wade on five tries with a brace in a 71-48 demolition of Bath.
Freeman’s PREM career total now stands at an impressive 60 tries from 89 appearances, which equates to a try every 1.48 games.
Taking only players who have scored 50 PREM tries or more, Freeman has the best strike rate in the series, and barring injury, Freeman will approach the century in the next two to three years – at which point Wade will more than likely hang up his football boots and white leggings.
Former Exeter number eight Sam Simmonds, who holds the PREM record for tries in a single season (21 in 2021), has the second best strike rate among the league’s best at 1.54 (59 tries in 91 league appearances).
Wade is third with a strike rate of 1.56 (100 out of 156), slightly ahead of Saracens’ Max Mullins 1.59 (63/100).
Ashton completes the top five with a strike rate of 1.78 (101/180).
One to watch is Freeman’s Northampton teammate Ollie Sleightholme. The England international needs five tries to join PREM’s 50-try club, having scored a hat-trick against Bath last time out.
Blessed with power and pace, Sleightholme was dazed by injury but reminded everyone what the second highest scoring game in PREM history was all about. The 26-year-old now has 45 league tries from just 70 appearances, a strike rate of 1.56.
PREM top try scorers by hit rate
1. Tommy Freeman – 1.48 (60t/89 applications)
2. Sam Simmonds – 1.54 (59/91)
3. Christian Wade – 1.56 (100/156)
4. Max Mullins – 1.59 (63/100)
5. Chris Ashton – 1.78 (101/180)
6. Steve Hanley – 1.80 (75/135)
7. Aden Murley – 1.93 (57/110)
8. Tom Varndell – 1.96 (92/180)
9. Vereniki Goneva – 2.00 (58/116)
9. Ollie Hassell-Collins – 2.00 (63/126)
*qualification criteria – 50 attempts; data provided by Hillsport Media Ltd
