How fitting that Alan Shearer was in the Kingston Park crowd to watch Christian Wade become Prem Rugby’s joint-record try-scorer.

Shearer remains the all-time top goalscorer in English football’s top flight and while he was in attendance to watch his son-in-law Joe Marchant play for Sale Sharks, he will have appreciated the attacking instincts of Wade in Newcastle colours.

At half-time, the chances of Wade drawing level with Chris Ashton’s tally of 101 Prem tries did not look likely. Those first 40 minutes lacked flow and momentum, with high penalty counts and numerous knock-ons; the wet and windy conditions did not help. It was 3-0 to Sale at the break, an antidote to the try-fests witnessed in the Prem so far this season, and Wade had barely touched the ball.

As the game hit the 49th minute, though, he finally had the ball in his hands and in space, sprinting down the wing and then rounding a few defenders to give Josh Hodge a better angle for the conversion of his record-equalling score.

TNT Sports had employed Ashton as a summariser for this match and he was fulsome in his praise for Wade, who shows the same pace at 35 as he did when first on the scene in his twenties. “He has been on the wing all night waiting for his chance, as he always has done,” Ashton said. “This one is only drawing though. He needs one more…”

Wade did look poised to move clear of Ashton with a 102nd try when he broke into space around the hour mark but Tom O’Flaherty hauled him down to end those hopes.

Still, that Wade has equalled Ashton’s haul is remarkable when you consider he has played two other sports since leaving Wasps, where he scored 82 of his Prem tries, in 2018. First came a three-year stint in the United States trying to break into the Buffalo Bills’ NFL team and although he returned to union with Racing 92 and then Gloucester, he also had a short stint in league with Wigan at the end of last year.

He is part of a Newcastle team that have been rejuvenated by Red Bull’s investment during the past 14 months. The squad was overhauled during the summer, with more than 20 new players arriving in the North East, and they now have their first victory of the campaign.

As for the record, all eyes will be on Newcastle’s team sheet for their match at Saracens next Saturday. If Wade is on it, you would not bet against him breaking clear of Ashton.

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