Our sport needs as much publicity as it can get. We were all hoping that some kind of miracle would happen and England would win the 4N. This was a ridiculous dream. So if Sam can take any of the media attention from kick and clap to league, and him and the club gain financially, then why not?

If anyone believes that this clause in his contract will prevent him talking to anyone for 3 years your deluded.

All it does mean is that if he does, and then goes, the transfer fee will be bigger than previous.
He'll be gone writhin that 3 IMO.

Anyway, i'm off to ask my partner if she fancies trying it out next door. If he's any good in bed she can negotiate a move.
Madness

Sam will basically be on trial letting ru look at him to see if hes worth the transfer fee, i sometimes wonder did sam ever want to stay at wigan or was it just he had a long term contract and the transfer fee was to high to risk but putting him on trial will reduce the risk and the publicity it will get will be how good will it be to see him play for england in 2015 wc which will happen. What happened to player burn out as well.

You seriously think that a club would be unsure about signing him, but would be ok doing it after he played one game for the barbarians?

yes when there will be a massive transfer fee its a risk for them i do think they would sign him anyway but this will help them to value him and i dont think it will be one game he will end up playing on loan at saracens a good few times over next couple of years

By agreeing to let Tomkins play one union game it just sets a precedent. He will end up playing more on loan no doubt!

What a joke and insult to Rugby League!

I agree 100%

Sam is proving to me to be the Kn#bhead everyone thinks he is. £300k a year and cant just play RL for Wigan what a joke

How much will Sam/wigan earn from this? Anyone heard, or is it all just speculation?

oh dear yet more people who dont have a clue reading an article and thinking they know it all.

A completely bonkers idea in my opinion, I just don't see the benefits to the club or to the sport as a whole and I certainly don't agree with the comments that it will be good publicity.

The RL press will be anything but positive about it, the RU press will not provide Rugby League with any positive publicity - maybe they will schmooze the talent of the player and fan his ego but that will be about it, and whilst we all know how talented he is, to expect him to step into a game of of Rugby Union and impress straight away is unlikely and also shows a lack of knowledge about the modern day Rugby Union game.


He will have a bloody big target on his back from the Aussie players in the game and longer term, seeing Sam playing a game of Rugby Union just increases the size of that target on his back to players/fans of other clubs next year and given the feeling towards him last year, added to the circumstances of him staying in the sport, is something that he personally and the club could do without next year.