Players have to put their arm around the ball to wrap it up, not under the arm. Under the arm is a blatent effort to dislodge the ball, by making the carry more 'loose'.

Still, this does not give Sam the right to clamp the arm. However I feel that it's only being made such a big thing because Sky are making a thing of it.

Lots of things like this go on in games and go on unoticed, for a good few years Matt Diskin tries to trip up markers as he plays the ball for example.

Ultimately players will try things like this more and more once they know they can get away with it. Last night the ref lost control in the first ten minutes and all hell broke loose. Sam's a clever lad and until a ref teaches him not to do it, he'll continue to do it.

It's only being made a big deal of because Sam did it. Just like Mcguire pulling Carmont back. If Hall had done it there wouldn't be such a fuss from Wigan fans.

I do remember Senior clamping Lockers arm under the ball in the CC semi. They both stood up and Lockers couldn't get his arm out without dislodging the ball. Result? penalty to Leeds.

i think sam is guilty of doing it but also players fearing he will do it are just lying there with there arms up looking at the ref which is what sinfield did he made NO attempt to clear the play the ball.

i agreee with both sides of this its clever play by sam but also annoying to watch and i fear that refs will start ignoring it and the time its a genuine case of lazy defending we wont get the pen id rather see him get up and try for a quick PTB

There is no question its sly tactics and as long as refs allow it fair play to any that get away with it, however there are some seriously one eyed fans on here mainly of cherry and white persuasion (understandably on a Wigan forum) but some others equally so, would Saints fans complain if they won the GF from a penalty won by Roby perhaps? Or in reverse Wigan fans would blow their top if they lost a Grand Final on a penalty against Sam having his arm trapped...

What Sam is doing is crafty gamesmanship which could and maybe should be penalised on the precedent that, even if it is the tacklers responsibility to regain their feet, if a tackled player holds on to the tacklers shirt to stop them regaining their feet it is frequently & correctly given as a penalty and I don't really see any difference when any player is blatantly holding the arm of the tackler.

As for last night I think the first one should have been given to Leeds but I also think that Sinfield after getting his arm caught tried to milk it, the problem comes when the refs are inconsistent (surprise surprise) like the Senior incident penalised Wigan when the ball came out but at the DW Coley did it to Dixon and Wigan got a Wigan scrum - the fact they don't know what the ref is going to give is going to make players think twice about trying to get free. With the Sky Highlighting of the incident we may get clarification as to the ruling that should be followed which can stop endless debates on the subjects, while they are letting it go I think we'll see more players doing it.

Chris Joynt voluntary tackle

no different to any other player holding the tacklers shirt to get the penalty , get a grip

sam is fast becoming the number one villan for opposition fans , this says something , the oposition fear him

It's the RL equivalent of diving, Tomkins did it a few times against us. Doesn't need to add it to his game, he's an awesome talent and thing's like this let him down.

I think a lot of people need to read the rules...

Warrington fans are killing me today

Briers?

Sort of the similar I agree it split fans opinions, I wish I'd seen the thread



The main difference is 8 years on I've still yet to see a penalty awarded for that problem, earlier in the same Final Stevo (whose outburst started all the furore) praised Albert for doing the same as Joynt (and Burrow did similar unpunished last night) but we saw two episodes of this incident in one game, its crept in more over the season and until they clarify either way its always going to divide opinion.

However I don't blame any player for doing what Sam is doing if they can get away with it good luck to them its up to other teams to catch on, its only the same of ripping the ball, or being offside that goes unnoticed etc... every team does it at some point every game they play the referee with holding down and offsides and you can bet if he does get penalised for it more than once he'll stop doing it as much.

Sam Tomkins clearly attempting to make up for a distinct lack of physical muscle mass by illegally trapping the defending player.

The player despite his undoubted ability has a much darker side to his game that is gradually being found out despite the cherry and white tinted views of SkySports.

In saying that, fair play to him for continuing to run in back from FB despite being sent into orbit by Ablett and Kylie Leuluai on more than one occasion.