Cracker that one

i am sure its no surprise to some but it was a terrible game, full of knock ons and penalties even by union standards. I think joel touched the ball 3 or 4 times and made 5 tackles, how he even has the cheek to say he prefers playing union i have no idea.

If Joel has said he prefers to play Union then I suspect it's because its what those who pay his wages want to hear.
Five tackles and handling the ball 3 or 4 times in 80 minutes for the money he's on, no wonder he prefers Union.

Well being able to pass is obviously a good skill to have but in union (pretty much the same as in league) you need some size to play centre and Joel has it and Sam doesn't.

I can think of plenty of reasons. Despite what happens on the pitch compared to RL, he doesn't have to work a 40 hour week in a boring job as many mere mortals do. He does have a job! It pays a fortune. He still gets to train and keep fit enough to receive more than five passes a match even if he never does. The media think he's great. The media actually notice the sport he plays in. He'll get an OBE or God knows what if England RU win the world cup. Etc, Etc.

And guess what? Those things are exactly why IL is 100% correct to call into question the RL hierarchy and why six clubs walked out of that meeting. The fact JT can swan about in an inferior game an earn a fortune and get all this attention while all the RFL can do is fiddle about with the format is another (one of many) reasons reasons why IL is fed up IMO.

Thats all well and good if you hadn't been brought up playing rugby league and used to getting physical and not frustrated that every time you have got a penalty in good field position the team goes for 3 points. the fact England RU attacking structure are poor that he never got a ball in some good space would also being very frustrated. Its a case of missing what you know, I played League and Union in the same positions as Joel most of the time and i was itching to go back to league.

Spot on DaveO. It would take a very unusual/exceptional/loyal individual to turn down the monies on offer to RL players at the moment.

Eastmond?

I think he's playing on the wing.

Sir "Mighty Mouse" McGeechan writing in the Sunday Telegraph today:

" I thought the choice of Joel Tomkins at outside centre was also a success. He is a very clever defensive player, and apart from one lapse his reading of the game was superb.

It is important to have a player who is very strong in terms of knowledge and awareness at 13, and those qualities were very much in evidence in the way Tomkins played. I was very much impressed by him, and by his physicality."

Two other positive references elsewhere in the same article.

When someone as steeped in RU as McGeechan has that opinion I think it's fair to say Tomkins has a future in the code.

Singing Warrior had it right when he said that the town of Wigan should proud of the success of all its sporting sons rather than decrying those who choose another path. Who knows, one day the RFU may want to adopt Wigan St Pats as its northern academy!

He's been playing mainly inside centre (12) which is generally the second receiver. Very similar to a traditional half back in league.

Not strictly true.

Inside centre can play a number of roles. The Ideal 12 is a crash ball player, who offers a 2nd kicking option, with a great passing game. Very strong in the tackle & big enough to be an extra forward if needed.

The guy who played yesterday (twelvetrees, Or 36 as he is known) ticks most of these boxes, even though he doesnt really excel at any.

If you want to play a more attacking game you pick someone like Eastmond who can play the expansive game by challenging the defensive line with ball in hand.

Or you can go the other way & pick someone like Brad Barritt like they have done for the past few years. A total crash ball centre who only has one job. Get ball, Run at nearest defender. Obviously this doesnt lend itself to attractive Rugby, but we live in the Northern Hemisphere and therefore this type of player becomes a legend.

Eastmond will struggle to get constant international recognition at 12 because he isnt the big crash ball player they want. Until they change their mentality (which they seem to be doing slowly) they will always pick someone closer to Brad Barritt than to Eastmond.

Thanks for that still. As time passes all Bill McLaren's commentaries blur into one and the database gets scrambled.

Exactly Dave, Joel's probably more famous than Sam now!