Wade can give Red Bulls attack X-factor - Dickens

Head coach Alan Dickens says Christian Wade can bring a bit of "X-Factor" to Newcastle Red Bulls as he prepares for his Prem debut with the club.

Wade missed the heavy defeat by champions Bath on Sunday, having picked up a head injury in the European Challenge Cup game with Johannesburg Lions on 13 December.

But having followed HIA protocols, the ex-Wasps and Gloucester winger will be available for the game at Bristol Bears on Saturday.

"When Christian played against the Lions, just before the incident, he got the ball in space, you saw the pace, how he moved and the crowd got louder," Dickens told BBC Sport.

"He's someone who's got that X-Factor that can get people off their seats."

Wade, 34, has come back to rugby union following a short stint in rugby league with Wigan Warriors and with an eye on overhauling Chris Ashton's record of 101 as the all-time leading try-scorer in Prem Rugby.

He needs nine more tries to claim the record.

Red Bulls have lost all seven of their league games this season and it is in attack where there is the biggest difference with Newcastle's tally of 14 tries well below the top six who have all scored at least 30.

In the match against Bath at Kingston Park, the hosts grabbed just two tries from eight entries into Bath's 22, whereas the defending champions scored from eight of their 12 visits into Newcastle's territory.

"Being clinical is a massive factor in the outcome of the game and Bath were far more clinical than us," said Dickens.

"Against the Lions, our defence was outstanding but we allowed them to get into our 22. That's what happened at the weekend and against a team like Bath, we suffered."