Wade off injured as Newcastle edge past Lions

European Challenge Cup

Newcastle Red Bulls (7) 14

Tries: Hearle, McCallum Cons: Chamberlain, Connon

Lions (10) 10

Tries: Davids Cons: Francis Pens: Francis

Christian Wade went off injured on his Newcastle Red Bulls debut as his new team squeezed past Johannesburg Lions in the European Challenge Cup.

Wade lasted just over 30 minutes when he was floored by a poor challenge from Lions winger Angelo Davids.

He caught Wade with a swinging arm on the blindside for which he was shown a yellow card and caused the ex-Wasps and Gloucester man to leave the field after a few minutes of treatment.

After early tries from Davids and Newcastle's Alex Hearle, the South African side led by three points for over 50 minutes until Murray McCallum's 79th-minute try won a confrontational encounter.

It was Red Bull's second win out of two in the competition, leaving them second in Pool 2 and well placed to make the knockout stages.

More to follow.

Newcastle Red Bulls: Chamberlain; Wade, Hearle, Hutchison, E Obatoyinbo; Grayson, Stuart; Brocklebank, Fletcher, Palframan, Usher, Baker, Gordon, Christie, Leatherbarrow.

Replacements: McGuigan, Rewcastle, McCallum, Hodgson, de Chaves, Elliott, Connon, H Obatoyinbo.

Yellow card: Fletcher (39)

Johannesburg Lions: Lombard; Maxwane, Rass, Kriel, A Davids; Francis, Steyn; E Davids, Brandon, RF Schoeman, Sjoblom, R Schoeman, du Plessis, Qoma, Steenkamp.

Replacements: Botha, Lyons, van Vuuren, Delport, Cairns, Pead, Dobela, Jonker.

Yellow card: A Davids (31)

Referee: B Rousselet (Fra)