In the Sunday Times yesterday, Sam Tomkins was specifically mentioned as one of a "top ten" to be fast tracked through for the RWC 2015. HE was the only RL player on the list. I suspect, as Bath are about to find out with Kyle Eastmond, with the odd exception (Jason Robinson), RL backs will not save the English RU. Players like Chris Ashton are finishers, Hape was a let down, Big LES never made it in the Big Time.

The RU needs creators as they have plenty of finishers of their own. That means a stand off. To play stand off at Union is very difficult unless you have played there all your life. RL forwards are generally not suited to Union for a variety of reasons. RU flankers tend to be RL props (Apollo P and Maurie). Not many RL forwards are the required 6'5" to play in the second row or back row.

There may be the odd raid but,to as to a "pillage", I doubt it very much.

I'm not sure about employment laws as to wither this would be possible, but could a clause be put into a contract to say you are committing yourself to League, and are unable to switch codes during the contract you sign. Or, get all players to sign on a registrar with the RFL to commit themselves to playing league. That way everyone who has a passion and commitment to play league can do so and those who cannot show dedication to the sport should be allowed to leave. If you make everyone show their intentions in black and white then you will surely only have those who really want to be here playing.

Players under contract can only switch code if there is a transfer fee involved and sadly most clubs will take the inflated fees union will pay due to their own poor fianances.

Wigan don't need the money and we certainly don't want to lose Joel. But ultimately if he wishes to leave Wigan then might as well take the money on offer. There can't be anything worse than having a player at your club who doesn't want to be there.

Personally i would like to see him stay,ideally i would like to see all the young talent that teams produce stay in league,but as well all know money talks,Wigan would recieve a hefty transfer fee and no club would turn their nose up at that.Im not convinced that Joel will want to leave anyway,i think he is happy were he is and likes being in the same team as Sam and if he does stay then fair play to him and i for one would applaud his descision.

Stop talking sense.

the rfl need to act now like they did when cunningham and radlinski where close to going.

If we keep all of our current England players then how many international series do we expect to win against the Aussies?

People cry for scrapping the salary cap and more so some present players! who just want more money, can someone please tell me where this money comes from? we still do not seem to have a sponsor for next years Super League yet, many clubs are crippled with debts and if we had not sold out to Sky we would not even be able to survive as a pro sport that is what we really need to accept!

Major sponsors have seen this present season a Challenge Cup and then The Championship Play Off with some of the weakest attendances for years!

Many people did watch a dismal performance by the England union team Saturday morning but the majority in the UK only get to see highlights of what was perhaps our best match of the season on Saturday evening with an hour of highlights on Sunday tea time, take out all the discussion and perhaps around 50 minutes of the game itself.

does anyone know what Keiron & Radders was paid,dont think so.I still cannot see the rfl paying mega bucks for Joel/Sam or anybody else these days.Chris Ashton went without a murmur,so did Jason Roinson. The rfl do not want to pay out any money at all.Its a shame when rah rah have got mega bucks & it seems to me that they spend their money.

OMG chicken licken the sky's going to fall down! Let's all panic and increase the salary cap and pay players bonuses to stay on league and get them to sign their life away in blood for even watching a game of union. Get real people.