Couldn't have put it better myself. This is now about much more than allowing Wigan to keep a star player. If Sam goes it will be sure-fire proof that RL in Britain cannot protect even its most prized assets. It literally will be the case that we may as well not bother trying to produce any more superstars, as we'll be producing them for a different sport. (A few of us know this already of course, but it will be pretty hard for those in denial to remain in denial if both Joel and Sam go to RU).

Joels no great loss but losing Sam would be disastrous!

So... you're a grown up and others are infantile/adolescent....

You've just proved my point. Yesterday Sam WAS doing all the things that get people up in arms when he plays for Wigan (holding players arms in the tackle, sniping at the ref, generally winding the opposition up) but it seems to have gone un-noticed, probably because he was also playing exceptionally well

This is spot on! I saw him still doing all his niggly stuff on Saturday, but because it was for England and not Wigan its allowed.

Anyone who feels that players of smaller stature who are aggressive, cocky, cheeky, etc, should be disliked because this is an 'infantile' persona can not have been watching rugby league for very long.

SaintsFan, I suspect, has no memory of watching Sean Long or Tommy Martyn, let alone true masters of the onfield wind-up like Neil Holding and Alex Murphy.

The list goes on: Sean Edwards, Andy Gregory, Bobbie Goulding, Ducky O'donnell, John Woods, Clayton Friend, Paul Bishop, Lee Briers.....

If Sam Tomkins wants to be the best full back in the world he has to shine at Test level.


Which he did on Saturday.

On the "why does everyone hate him" topic, there are clear reasons why it's OK when it happens for England rather than Wigan. He's a spiky, cocky little g!t (on the field, he's like a different person off it, which isn't actually that unusual). Spiky, cocky little g!ts with bags of skill are always adored by fans of their own team (because it's their personalities that make them great to watch and gives them the audacity to do the special things that they do) and hated by fans of other teams (because they get no benefit from the good bits).

I've always said that he can do what he wants as long as he backs it up with performances like that one on Saturday. He could be universally admired for Wigan, however he chooses to act the way he does. Good luck to him, he seems happy enough to wind people up, and it works for him. SOme people are not going to like it though.

Here are a couple of true things:

1) If he played for Saints (or any other rival club), he would be reviled by Wigan fans. That's life.

2) If he keeps that up, he will be reviled by the Aussies. I hope he does! We have had too few players in recent years who can get under the Aussies' skins.

I also just typed "I hope he dies" instead of "I hope he does."

Luckily I spotted it before submitting. But then it made me chuckle, so I thought I'd share it anyway. That would have earned me a ban wouldn't it?

Please note that I do not hope he dies. Does. Dies. What? Argh.

Just been announced on twitter by someone at the press conference that sam is staying at wigan and has now become the highest paid player in rugby league.

great to see that something has been done to keep him here. Just hope theres still a bit of money left on the cap to bring in a good centre.

www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sp ... -deal.html

www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sp ... -deal.html

I'm all in favour of the salary cap as I think without it our clubs would put themselves under too much pressure financially.
However, I am starting to think that we should have something in it to help hold onto our marquee players.
Perhaps each of our clubs could have 1 (british) player who can have only 33% of his salary count towards the cap? That way the richer clubs, at least, will be able to go a long way to tying down what would essentially be a "club england" squad basis.

Can I just mention that not everybody who is an opposition supporters hates Sam Tomkins so can we stop persisting with the "Everybody hates Tomkins" mantra because it simply isn't true. That a couple of nutjobs from here are there do is not a free licence to embellish.

www.wigantoday.net/sport/wigan-w ... _1_3946279 Well at least Sam definitely isn't going anywhere yet!

www.wigantoday.net/sport/wigan-w ... _1_3946279 Well at least Sam definitely isn't going anywhere yet!