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Wade returned to England last summer when he joined Gloucester, where he has scored seven tries in 10 Premiership matches this term.
That includes two hat-tricks, taking his try-scoring tally to 89, fourth on the league's all-time list.
Despite his prolific try-scoring record Wade is yet to win any major honours during his career, but he could still bow out at Gloucester with silverware, with his side still in play-off contention this term.
Should Gloucester miss out, however, Wade could be in the frame to win his first trophy in a different sport as he joins a Wigan side who broke records in 2024 to win a historic quadruple of every domestic trophy on offer and are in the frame to retain their league title this term.
Asked about how it would feel to potentially win a Super League Grand Final with Wigan, Wade added: "It would be crazy, but time will tell what the future holds.
"For now, I'll focus on these last four games with Gloucester. We're still in with a chance of making the play-offs even after last weekend's result. Once I've finished here then I'll be onto Wigan to see how I can develop and help the team up there."
Gloucester have agreed a deal to sign Newcastle full-back Ben Redshaw for the 2025-26 Premiership Rugby season.
The 20-year-old England youth international made his Newcastle debut early last season and has played eight Premiership games this season.
He was part of the England Under-20s side that won the Under 20 World Cup last year and also spent time at the England senior side's pre-World Cup training camp in 2023.
"Ben is a great signing for us; he is one of the most highly rated young players in the country and widely regarded as a future first-team international," Gloucester director of rugby George Skivington said.
"He's got all the physical attributes you want from a back-three player, and I'm sure he'll fit perfectly into the game model that we are trying to play."
Back row toughest position in Roses squad - Matthews
England number eight Alex Matthews says the back row is the most competitive area in the Red Roses squad, which is aiming for a double Six Nations and World Cup triumph this year.
The 31-year-old was part of the World Cup-winning squad in 2014 and has been a mainstay in the side for several years, but now faces competition from Maddie Feaunati.
Matthews missed the opening two rounds of this year's Six Nations through suspension and Exeter Chiefs' Feaunati deputised, winning player of the match against Italy before scoring twice in the commanding victory over Wales.
Last year's World Rugby women's player of the year nominee Matthews returned to the starting XV for England's win against Ireland before being replaced by 22-year-old Feaunati in the most recent victory over Scotland.
With a home World Cup in August England's resources in the back row are plentiful, including captain Zoe Aldcroft, Sadia Kabeya and former skipper Marlie Packer, and Matthews says it is difficult for head coach John Mitchell to accommodate them all.
"The back row is the toughest position in the squad at the moment," said Gloucester-Hartpury's Matthews.
"There are some world class players and not enough space in the team for all of them, but it's the depth we need in our squad.
"Maddie is an unbelievable athlete with her footwork, power and handling."
The Red Roses will be chasing a fourth successive Grand Slam and a seventh Six Nations title in a row when they face France at Allianz Stadium on Saturday.
A record women's crowd of 58,498 watched England beat France on their last meeting at their Twickenham home in 2023 and Matthews says she still gets goosebumps when she recalls the day.
"I love the atmosphere at Allianz, it's a different level," she said.
"I remember the goosebumps from the last France game and just having that support.
"I remember times running out after an England men's game and everyone in the crowd is gone, but to now have that [support] is so special and it's what dreams are made of."
CONCORD, N.C. Tony Stewart, the 112th and latest winner in the NHRAs Top Fuel ranks, now has a chance to make more history with a victory at the 1,000th Top Fuel race in NHRA history at this weekends American Rebel Light NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway.
Tony Stewart added to his Hall of Fame résumé with his first career Top Fuel victory at the most recent NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series event in Las Vegas. It was a noteworthy moment for the legendary racer who has won in nearly every form of racing and now Stewart will have a chance for another milestone moment in Charlotte.
The 1,000th Top Fuel race takes place in the unique four-wide style, some 62 years after the first Top Fuel race took place at the 1963 NHRA Winternationals.
The legendary Don Garlits won that event and now another legend in Stewart will have the opportunity to pick up a significant and noteworthy victory in Top Fuel all at the Bellagio of Dragstrips in Charlotte in his 12,000-horsepower Dodge//SRT Direct Connection dragster.
To go be able to go back to Charlotte, where Ive got a deep-rooted racing history, and as the previous race winner (in Las Vegas) is going to be a great feeling, Stewart said. Its going to make going to Charlotte that much better, especially being the 1,000th Top Fuel race. Me being a part of the sport, going into their 1,000th race and knowing that NHRAs 75th anniversary is next year and being a part of that in some capacity is really cool to be a part of and its awesome. I got to be a part of NASCARs 50th (anniversary), and I just know how important historic moments like these are.
Justin Ashley (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) claimed victories at the 2024 event.
Will it be Stewart celebrating on the top end again? His track record in the wild, unpredictable and unique spectacle that is four-wide racing indicates hes up for the challenge.
Stewart has performed well in the midst of the extreme sensory overload of nearly 50,000-horsepower thundering down four lanes at once and a second straight win this season, competing against standout talents like reigning world champ Antron Brown, Brittany Force, points leader Shawn Langdon, Doug Kalitta and Clay Millican would be another massive accomplishment.
The Vegas win pushed him to second in points and the team continues to gain confidence at an ideal time of the year.
I feel like Im very comfortable with the four-wide setup and for some reason, Im very comfortable with it, Stewart said. I feel like I do a good job of paying attention to everything up on the line and I dont let things distract me and thats what you have to do in a four-wide. Its a little more chaotic on the line and when youre staging, but its something Im comfortable with. (After winning a four-wide), it just makes you feel a little better going back-to-back with four-wide racing. I love these races and the best part of Charlotte is we get to do it at both Charlotte races this year.
Every 100th winner in Top Fuel history including Garlits will all be on hand in Charlotte, as the winners of 1st, 100th, 200th, 300th, 400th, 500th, 600th, 700th, 800th and 900th Top Fuel races will gather together for a special autograph session at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday with an event-exclusive hero card.
Toyota Celebrates 20 Years Of USAC Midget Competition
PLANO, Texas Toyota will be entering its 20th year of USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget Series competition when the season kicks off this weekend at Kokomo Speedway.
The manufacturer began its historic run in 2006, when Dave Steele and Nine Racing won in Toyotas midget racing debut at the USAC Copper World Classic at Phoenix Raceway.
Its amazing to believe Toyota is heading into our 20th year of USAC National Midget racing, said Tyler Gibbs, president of Toyota Racing Development (TRD, U.S.A.) We have had the privilege to race against some of the toughest competitors and have been fortunate enough to partner with some of the best people in the sport including Steve Lewis, Keith Kunz, Pete Willoughby, Chad Boat, and Rick Long, as well as some incredible racers such as Dave Steele, Christopher Bell, Kyle Larson, Buddy Kofoid, Cannon McIntosh, Daison Pursley and so many more.
Were thrilled to have won 10 USAC titles and more than 500 national midget features, but its not over yet. We look forward to many more.
The program began when Toyota combined with Steve Lewis Nine Racing and engine builder Ed Pink.
Toyota wanted to expand into grassroots racing, and we were able to apply the TRD NASCAR Truck cylinder head to USAC racing, said Gary Reed, now retired vice president of Special Racing Projects for TRD, USA. So, we met with Steve Lewis and Ed Pink, and Ed Pink Racing was able to assist in designing the block and the rest was history. We had no idea that it would remain as competitive as it has been for so many years.
Current NASCAR star Christopher Bell won Toyotas first USAC championship in 2013 and Toyota-powered drivers have gone on to win 20 overall midget racing titles (ten USAC, eight POWRi and two Xtreme Outlaw).
Bell remains the winningest Toyota midget racer with 59 career wins.
Two current Toyota teams have combined to win the last three USAC titles and they will once again lead Toyota into the 2025 campaign, with Cannon McIntosh, Jacob Denney and Gavin Miller as the lead drivers for Keith Kunz Motorsports, while Justin Grant, Zach Wigal and Drake Edwards will be the headliners for CB Industries.
Power Rankings: Larson Still No. 1, Piastri Moves Forward
Its time for a new edition of SPEED SPORT Power Rankings. Who will be on top this week?
- Kyle Larson
Kyle Larson finished second in Saturdays World of Outlaws sprint car race at Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway. Larson won NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series races at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway and has won in all three NASCAR national series this season and in the World of Outlaws and High Limit Racing sprint car series. He also won the Chili Bowl Nationals. Last Week: 1
- Oscar Piastri
Australian Formula 1 racer Oscar Piastri won Sundays Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. It was the McLaren racers third victory in five races this season. Last Week: 5
- Bobby Pierce
Dirt late model star Bobby Pierce swept both ends of the Slocum 50 at Iowas 34 Raceway. Pierce has now won 10 features this season. Last Week: 7
- Alex Palou
Alex Palous two-race winning streak in the NTT IndyCar Series came to a halt when he finished second in the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. Last Week: 2
- Denny Hamlin
Denny Hamlins two-race winning streak in the NASCAR Cup Series also ended with a second-place finish. Hamlin finished second to Larson at Bristol Motor Speedway. Last Week: 3
- David Gravel
Reigning World of Outlaws champion David Gravel has five victories and 16 top-10 finishes in 16 races this season. Last Week: 4
- Greg Anderson
A two-time race winner this season, NHRA Pro Stock point leader Greg Anderson lost to Dallas Glenn in the final round at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Last Week: 6
- Anthony Macri
Pennsylvania sprint car driver Anthony Macri earned three feature victories during a two-day span and has won five races this season. Last Week: Not Ranked.
- Dallas Glenn
Dallas Glenn earned his second NHRA Pro Stock triumph of the season at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Last Week: 8
- Cole Butcher
A two-time winner in ASA STARS National Tour competition this season, Cole Butcher has also won a Southern Super Series main event. Last Week: 9
On The Move: Formula 1 point leader Oscar Piastri and frequent dirt late model feature winner Bobby Pierce moved forward in this weeks edition of the power rankings.
What To Watch For?: Can Kyle Larson get in the swing of things at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway and remain at the top of the rankings next week?
Dropped Out: With an off weekend, NASCAR Cup Series regular Christopher Bell, who was 10th in last weeks rankings, dropped from the countdown.
USAC Midget Notes: Kokomo Grand Prix Opens 70th Season
KOKOMO, Ind. The 70th season of USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship competition gets underway April 25-26 at Kokomo Speedway.
What better way to kick it off than with the Kokomo Grand Prix, featuring two nights of full programs featuring the midgets alongside Kokomo Speedways sprint car division.
The anticipation brings new combinations for the season, new hopes, renewed dreams and a slew of up and comers looking to mix it up with veterans all vying for the ultimate accomplishment of a championship.
QUICK AT KOKOMO
Three past Kokomo Speedway USAC National Midget winners are expected in this weekends Grand Prix lineup. Among them, Kevin Thomas Jr. is the lone past Kokomo Grand Prix winner in the field, scoring a last lap thriller back in 2019. In fact, hes a two-time Kokomo USAC Midget winner, also taking the Indiana Midget Week round in 2018.
Cannon McIntosh punctuated the Indiana Midget Week Kokomo round with a victory in 2022 while fellow Okie Daison Pursley performed likewise, making a late-race charge to score the win in the series most recent round at Kokomo in 2024 en route to the series championship.
CBI RELOADS
Pursley will return to the CB Industries team for this weekends Kokomo Grand Prix in his familiar no. 86 with which he captured seven USAC National Midget wins and the championship a year ago.
While Pursley doesnt currently plan to compete for a repeat USAC title at press time, the CBI no. 86 will contest the entire 2025 schedule with a rotating cast of drivers.
Joining CBI for a full-time USAC championship run in 2025 is Justin Grant, an 11-time USAC National Sprint Car winner at Kokomo who is still on the hunt for his first USAC Midget win at the track. Upstart Drake Edwards, the 2024 USAC Western States Midget Rookie of the Year will go full-time nationally in a third CBI entry.
VETERAN LADEN
Another perennial USAC National Midget championship contender, Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports, will have a veteran, winning lineup in its full-time arsenal for 2025. All of which are pursuing a first USAC National Midget driving title.
Cannon McIntosh is a previous USAC Midget winner at Kokomo in 2022. The nine-time series winner finished a career best runner-up in the standings a year ago. Meanwhile, three-time series winner Jacob Denney (Galloway, Ohio) captured a USAC Midwest Thunder SpeeD2 Midget victory at Kokomo back in 2020 as he moves from Tom Malloys team to the KKM squad.
One-time USAC winners Gavin Miller and Kale Drake seek to have a breakout season in the upcoming campaign
Its also worth noting that the first of Keith Kunzs record 150 USAC National Midget victories as an entrant came at Kokomo with driver Page Jones during the 1992 season.
RETURN OF J-MAC
Jason McDougals most recent USAC National Midget start came three seasons ago during the 2022 Turkey Night Grand Prix at southern Californias Ventura Raceway.
But with Thomas Meseraull unavailable to drive the Engler Machine No. 7x this weekend, McDougal has been tabbed for the ride at the Kokomo Grand Prix.
McDougal is a two-time USAC National Midget feature winner, having scored both back in 2019 at Nebraskas Jefferson County Speedway and Indianas Tri-State Speedway. His best Kokomo performance to date came during the 2019 Grand Prix where he finished second to Tyler Courtney.
NEW COONS
A new Coons will step in as a full-time USAC National Midget driver in 2025 for Dooling Autosports/Curb-Agajanian.
The son of USAC career Triple Crown champion Jerry Coons Jr. has a quality pedigree of his own, having won three points-paying USAC Midwest Thunder SpeeD2 Midget features between 2023-2024, plus a special event score.
Jerry owns seven career Kokomo Grand Prix starts between 2014-2019, finishing a best of fifth in 2017. Now Cale will aim to become the first son of a former Kokomo Grand Prix starter to also make a start himself in the event.
Cale will be at the wheel of the famed black No. 63, which has twice won at Kokomo, first in 2014 with driver Bryan Clauson then again in 2018 with Kevin Thomas Jr.
SEASON OPENER
The Kokomo Grand Prix marks the start of the 70th season of USAC National Midget competition. This is the third occasion in which Kokomo will open the season, having previously done so in 2014 and 2015, with Rico Abreu and Darren Hagen winning, respectively.
Overall, Steve Lotshaw, Tony Stewart and Rich Vogler share the record for the most USAC National Midget season opening wins with three apiece. Justin Grant can equal that record this Friday after previously scoring in 2017 at the Southern Illinois Center and in 2022 at Floridas Ocala Speedway.
Cannon McIntosh (2024 at Belleville) and Logan Seavey (2018 at the Southern Illinois Center) have won season openers.
In nine instances, the season opening winner has gone on to win the USAC National Midget title later that same year: Mel Kenyon (1968), Rich Vogler (1978), Steve Lotshaw (1979), Jason Leffler (1999), Bryan Clauson (2011), Rico Abreu (2014), Logan Seavey (2018), Tyler Courtney (2019) and Buddy Kofoid (2021).
RALEIGH, N.C. -- New Jersey Devils defensemen Luke Hughes and Brenden Dillon are out with injuries for Tuesday night's Game 2 of their first-round playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Coach Sheldon Keefe ruled out both Hughes and Dillon after neither participated in the morning skate. The blue-liners both exited early from Sunday's Game 1 loss and skated off to the tunnel with assistance.
Keefe didn't specify the nature of those injuries, which are another hit for a squad that was already down prominent pieces before the Stanley Cup Playoffs. That means Simon Nemec -- the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 draft -- and Dennis Cholowski will draw in for the first postseason action of their careers.
"It's obviously big losses for us clearly, but not unlike anything we faced in the regular season," Keefe said. "The message would remain the same in terms of our team's ability and need to step up. And the group has to rise above it. So we've been able to do it before, and I expect the same."
Dillon went down hard after getting tangled with Carolina's William Carrier, then struggled to get to and stay on his feet in the second period. Keefe said after the loss that Dillon wanted to return but doctors wouldn't clear him.
Hughes was hurt in the third period after going down and ending up in the net, clutching at his left shoulder area -- though he later returned to the game.
The Devils are already without top center Jack Hughes -- who had shoulder surgery in March and is out for the season -- while defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler has been out with a lower-body injury since February. Keefe had said previously Siegenthaler isn't expected back for this series.
Carolina dominated the series opener in a 4-1 win, scoring the game's first three goals and holding a 4-to-1 shot advantage late in the second period.
The Devils did get some good news with center Cody Glass, who was on the ice and is cleared to play. Glass was also hurt in Game 1 on the same chaotic play as Hughes, though his came when goaltender Jacob Markstrom took a whack at Carolina's Andrei Svechnikov atop the crease and instead struck Glass to send him crashing to the ice in pain.
After firing coach Dan Bylsma, the Seattle Kraken have promoted longtime general manager Ron Francis to president of hockey operations, with assistant Jason Botterill taking over day-to-day responsibilities.
The shakeup announced Tuesday comes after the Kraken missed the playoffs for the third time in four years and regressed in Bylsma's only season behind the bench.
"These changes reflect our commitment to becoming a sustained playoff team," owner Samantha Holloway said in a statement. "Ron has done an excellent job of building our hockey operations and setting a solid foundation. Our new enhanced structure will allow Ron to continue shaping our long-term vision while empowering Jason day to day."
Francis had been in charge since not long after Seattle's ownership group was granted an NHL expansion franchise. He and Botterill are now tasked with finding a coach and repairing a roster that is lacking in elite talent.
"I am proud of what we have started here in Seattle and look forward to continuing in my new role as President," Francis said. "I have worked closely with Jason for many years at both the NHL and international levels. He helped build three Stanley Cup-winning rosters in Pittsburgh and has been a key member of our management team since Day 1. He has demonstrated the ability to construct winning teams, and his experience, leadership, and vision will be invaluable as we continue towards a championship-caliber organization in Seattle."
This is Botterill's second GM job in the league after he ran the Buffalo Sabres from 2017-20.
"We are focused on taking the next step as a franchise, and for us, next season starts now," Botterill said. "From roster decisions to player development, we will do everything we can to build a team that can compete for the playoffs every year and ultimately bring a Stanley Cup to Seattle."
That did not happen under Bylsma. The Kraken this past season finished 35-41-6 for 76 points - 20 back of the second and final wild-card spot in the Western Conference - after 81 in 2023-24 for previous coach Dave Hakstol.
Bylsma had been promoted from within after coaching the American Hockey League's Coachella Valley Firebirds to back-to-back Calder Cup Finals before losing to Hershey. He won the Stanley Cup as Pittsburgh's coach in 2009 and remained with the Penguins through 2014, winning the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year in 2011.
This was his third head-coaching job in the NHL after an ill-fated two-year stint with Buffalo from 2015-17. Bylsma is the third coach fired in as many days after Anaheim moved on from Greg Cronin and the New York Rangers dismissed Peter Laviolette.
The New York Islanders announced that they aren't renewing the contract of president and general manager Lou Lamoriello after the team failed to make the playoffs this season.
The Islanders made the playoffs five times in his seven years but only made it as far as the conference finals in 2019-20. Before missing the playoffs this year, they were eliminated in the first round the past two years.
The most success came with former Capitals coach Barry Trotz behind the bench. Lamoriello signed him fresh off Washington's Stanley Cup win.
But Trotz was gone by 2022 and Lane Lambert and Patrick Roy followed.
Lamoriello, 82, was the general manager of the Devils from 1987-2015, winning three Stanley Cups. He moved on to the Maple Leafs where he helped rebuild that franchise, drafting Auston Matthews.
Lamoriello's Islanders teams were always competitive but couldn't get over the hump to make consistently deep playoff runs. This season was hampered by star Mathew Barzal playing in only 30 games because of a knee injury.
The team said that managing partner John Collins will lead a search to find the next general manager. The statement added:
"The Islanders extend a heartfelt thank you to Lou Lamoriello for his extraordinary commitment over the past seven years. His dedication to the team is in line with his Hall of Fame career."
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