This is happening and it is great publicity for our game. Amazing that he can walk into international RU despite never playing the game. Speaks wonders for our product.

Would our game ever select one of their players?

Why is it great publicity for the game exactly?

This would be awesome and should totally go ahead

The first ever RL player to play for the barbarians. It shows the talent we produce. Might make people watch the game when its on sky to see if Tomkins is playing.

Even better publicity for Wigan.

Basically you don't like this Saddened. It is Tomkins and Wigan, these are the two things you hate the most in your little world. We know, it's fine. Both will benefit from this, not to mention the shed load of cash we will get for it.

They would never allow it just like the RFL shouldnt. Do you think the NRL/ARL would allow Jonathan Thurston to be picked for the Barbarians?

This does nothing for our game, all it would do would push the Union and Tomkins closer together. It will make Our game look second rate.

NRL don't need the publicity, unfortunately in this country we need as much as we can get.

The Barbarians are meant to represent free flowing exciting rugby union. If they need to use League players to do that, then that's a great compliment to League. It also chips away at any anti-league bias that any union fans may have, in the same way that Jason Robinson's success in union helped demonstrate the quality that comes out of League.

If he freezes his backside off for 80 minutes watching a maul trundle forward, a scrum collapse and a ball being kicked up in the air back and forth, then he might not be so keen to play for a union team in 3 years time.

This is stupid.

We can't win.

If he has a blinder and tears the game to bits, he'll be in yawnion within the 3 year 'contract' he's signed.

If he stinks the place out, we'll get 'he's the best player in SL and he's rubbish'. Or even worse, if he gets crocked 'he's not tough enough for union'.

I hope they don't play him at fullback, the boy can't/won't catch the ball. I guess now he's realised he's not an international rugby league player he fancies having a try at union. Good luck to him.

Surely his body needs a rest when you consider he played in the World Club Challenge, SL, Challenge Cup and Internationals.

My thoughts exactly. If he performs like he did yesterday, he's simply going to convince the Union fans that Rugby League is still a northern provincial game where average players are over hyped in the media.

The lads 22. Give him a break.

Fair point. At what age does he grow a pair of balls?

You already have and you already do