I am sorry and I do not wish to seem harsh but what you say is rubbish from start to finish. If you think Wigan RL are an unknown quantity in sport you must be mad.

Back in 1992 I was in Fiji and when the locals found out where I was from they wanted to go and coach the local team! Wigan's reputation and place in sport in the world is well known. They know all about us in the major rugby playing nations of either code. I have been to most of them and trust me they know.

The idea we must court publicity and must market the club by our best player who supposedly just signed a contract to stop him going to a rival sport by him actually playing that rival sport is just stupid.

And why do you think Wigan are going to get paid for his services? The Barbarians do not pay players or clubs for their services to my knowledge. They certainly didn't used to.

The "Ba Ba,s" have also become far less popular in RU ever since it went full time because clubs who now pay their players don't want there prized assets getting injured in these games yet we seemingly will allow our most prized player exposé himself to that. These games are not anywhere near as prestigious as they once were and here we are cow towing to RU.

What will you say if he does his knee ligaments under a maul? That it was worth it for the publicity?

Of course I know we are well known in sport. But going to Uni with loads of RU lads I know for a fact some of them would now name Leeds or Saints as just as big a club as we are, the don't see the difference, they wouldn't have a clue about our players or our past success. A different generation to yours. This will change this younger generations view on RL, on the name of Wigan.

The club can and will be marketed through our best player on a world stage. We will gain more publicity from this than when he pulls on an England RL shirt.

I have been told Wigan will benefit financially form this. I don't see why IL would let this happen if it wasn't the case. I have also been told that we will get a stupid amount of compensation if Tomkins was to get injured.

IL must think it is a decent idea or he would have done anything to stop it happening.

If Tomkins tears them appart it will be all over the news, therefore WIGAN will be all over the news. Sorry Dave but whether you like it or not (clearly not as in most cases) but Wigan DO gain a lot of publicity from this.

to be honest i can see him completely failing if he does play. he has already stated he has no interest in union and has never played it and he wont be able to read the game like he does in league and this will make the union old boys think there game is better, but on the positive side it may show sam its not for him.

worse case is that he has a stormer of a game and scores 4 try's and union throw all the money hes way in 3 years and we are no better.

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?