Joel Tomkins switches codes from Wigan to Saracens

[TRF_Cymro]

Wigan centre Joel Tomkins has completed his switch from league to union by joining Premiership champions Saracens.Warriors will be due compensation for the 24-year-old, who is contracted until 2015, with the move costing Saracens a reported £250,000.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/15620047.stm

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[TRF_Olyy]

I've heard he's on £400k per year - it's not going to be true, but he'll on a huge amount



This whole partnership thing is just to try and distract Wigan fans that Sarries have poached one of their players who had years on his contract left. Wigan won't benefit from the link up at all, and the fans are (rightly) mightily pi**ed off about it

 

[ZeFrenchy]

Those who know better, what position do you think he will play? I saw he plays second row in RL, but he certainly doesn't have the size for a RU lock. Probably centre?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Yeah, he played centre for Wigan a bit last season as well

SBW and Willie Mason were both 2nd rows in League and now Centres in Union

 

[gingergenius]

Usually goes like this

Props in RL = Blindside in RU

2nd Row/ Loose Forward/ Centres in RL = Centre in RU

Hooker/ Halfbacks in RL = Fly Half in RU

Wing = Wing
Fullback = Wing/ Fullback

anyway, not sure about how successful this will be... we've got a lot of centres, although to be fair nobody's stamped their name on the 13 shirt - Wyles is converted there from the back 3 and has been away at the RWC, Powell has had injury troubles and Farrell is a 10.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Hookers are scrumhalves, normally
Standoff/Scrumhalf (RL) = Flyhalf (RU)

 

[Teh Mite]

Yeah, he played centre for Wigan a bit last season as well

SBW and Willie Mason were both 2nd rows in League and now Centres in Union

Liar. He's not a centre. He's a waste of a shirt.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

A waste of a 12/13​ shirt

 

[ZeFrenchy]

Well, but Tomkins looks a lot lighter than SBW and Mason, isn't he? I reckon he could play 13/11/14... I saw a very wing-ish try of his against Leeds on youtube.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

He is a lot smaller (about 3 stone lighter than SBW, 4st lighter than Mason!) - Not sure he has the pace to play wing, though I imagine he could do a job there
Think centre is where he'll fit in best though - as a 2nd row he's used to a bit of bosh, so he'll be able to do crash ball, and as you pointed out with his try vs Leeds, he can stretch his legs and run with the ball pretty well as well

 

[UilamOsa]

I'm thinking the fact he actually ended up in RL is because he's not as good as his brother. Which isn't saying much as he is AWESOME. Looking forward to seeing him downunder if he tours.

Pre-Code Switch - I always thought Sonny Bill should've been a flanker. And Willie should have probably come off the back of the scrum. Glad I was off by a country mile.