Hull KR nip in quickly to convince Tomkins he is still loved

IF you would have told Joel Tomkins this time last week that he would be lining up for Hull KR next Sunday, he may have thought you had been having him on.
Joel Tomkins was Wigan Warriors through and through but now he looks set to join Hull KR.Joel Tomkins was Wigan Warriors through and through but now he looks set to join Hull KR.
Joel Tomkins was Wigan Warriors through and through but now he looks set to join Hull KR.

However, it is understood the suspended Wigan Warriors second-row is, indeed, on his way to Craven Park and set to start training as early as Monday.

The former dual-code England second-row hit the headlines last Saturday night after a video emerged on social media of him being drunk and abusive to bar staff in Wigan.

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The following day Wigan banned Tomkins for four weeks and fined him £10,000 while saying they would discuss his future with them.

Those discussions seem to have ended with the 31-year-old’s exit.

It is reported Tomkins, who debuted for hometown Wigan in 2005 and returned for a second spell in 2014 after three years in union with Saracens, could debut against Castleford Tigers on Sunday week.

The East Yorkshire club had still yet to make an official statement last night but, struggling near the foot of Super League, they have been trying to recruit reinforcements for some time in readiness for an expected relegation fight in the Qualifiers.

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Tomkins, who could fill in at centre where Tim Sheens’ side are drastically short of options, would certainly bring some quality and experience regardless of his recent misdemeanour.

The video footage of the incident, which occurred six weeks ago, showed him attempting to get behind the bar and swearing at staff before being asked repeatedly to leave.

Tomkins later apologised for the incident, which saw his younger brother and team-mate Sam, who was with him, also fined £5,000.

Hull FC football manager Gareth Ellis is a former international team-mate of Tomkins’, lining up alongside him at second-row against Australia in Melbourne in 2010.

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He said: “They’ve been on the look-out all year but have struggled to find the right quality of player to add something to their team.

“It’s a shame what’s happened, something that from a month ago has led to this, but he’s a good player and, if it’s right that they have got him tied down to a deal, I’m sure he’ll add something to Hull KR.

“It’s a tough one as obviously they are getting desperate and need to start picking up points.

“Sometimes you need to take a bit of a gamble and it might pay off for them.

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“If they stay in Super League at the end of the year no one will bat an eyelid at this now.”

Ellis does not envisage Tomkins causing any problems off-the-field for the Robins.

“I’m sure what he did is not something that happens all the time; you can’t play to the level he has if that’s the case,” he said.

“It looks like it’s a one-off and he has apologised and shown real remorse for what he did.

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“Obviously, things happen under the influence and it is alcohol again.

“I’ve said it before about how players need to be careful with it.

“I played with Joel for England back in 2010 and I don’t think he’s a bad person or anything like that.

“He’s just had too much and has to pay the price for that.”

Hull KR’s head of rugby Jamie Peacock is also a former England colleague of Tomkins as is captain Shaun Lunt so they will both have been able to advise Sheens on his character, if needed.

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The player is certainly keen to atone for his mistakes and, though he is not necessarily in the position where Rovers are most in need currently, his expected addition could be a timely boost.

Furthermore, as Ellis offers, often in these cases a switch can reap plenty of dividends.

“Obviously there’s a history of players moving from one club under a cloud, like Albert Kelly coming to us from Hull KR and, most recently, Liam Watts leaving us for Cas,” he said.

“They have been very successful at their new clubs.

“But probably the biggest turnaround for a player has been Ben Barba.

“He arrived at St Helens banned and will leave as a hero.”