Wigan star Tomkins, 22, is strongly tipped to be the next high-profile league superstar to be lined up for a cross-code switch as England seek to rebuild.
Tomkins insists he remains totally focused on remaining in the 13-man code with Wigan and England.
But speculation about a has only heightened with the fact his elder brother Joel, who plays alongside him at Wigan, is on the brink of sealing a lucrative £400,000-a-year move to Premiership champions Saracens.
Both Tomkins brothers signed new five-year deals with Wigan only 12 months ago, but in Joel’s case, even a club of Wigan’s stature will succumb to union’s financial pulling power.
For his part, Tomkins remains open-minded at the prospect of one day playing union, with Sale Sharks among the Premiership sides to have cast admiring glances in his direction.
Though the huge cost of both buying him out of his Wigan contract, not to mention meeting his wages, means the likes of Sale are keeping their war chest locked for now, the feeling persists that eventually Tomkins will be union-bound whether its to Edgeley Park or big-spending Sarries.
“For the time being my head is on playing for Wigan and England,” insisted Tomkins
“Whatever comes down the path it’s something I would think about if I got the opportunity later on in life. In future, it could be something and you never say never.”
Kevin Ashcroft, the former Warrington and Great Britain star claims the signing cycle has now gone full circle with union in the driving seat in a position to cherry-pick the cream of the Super League crop.
“Union is now the more professional game and they have the power and the money,” Ashcroft admitted.
“England obviously need to rebuild following their World Cup failure. They are bound to have noted players with the potential Sam Tomkins has. He would be a sensation in union and could emulate Chris Ashton who also moved across from Wigan.
“England probably need nine or 10 new players and gone are the days when league signed the best in union talent.
“Not so long ago, union was simply the chance for a good game, a good bath and then a good drink – but not anymore.
“I can’t see him staying over here as he’s the hottest property in league for the last decade and he would be a massive hit in rugby union.”
In the past, Wigan have seen such high-profile stars as Andy Farrell, Jason Robinson, Gary Connolly and Henry Paul defect to the union ranks for more lucrative salaries.
And the increasingly influential role of the modern- day agent has been blamed by many pundits for the ongoing talent drain from league’s ranks.
“The job of an agent is source out the best offers for a player but an agent can at times confuse a young player,” said new Castleford coach Ian Millward.
“A player who is starting out must realise that money initially is not the most important thing – the priority should be to become established and to progress.
“Having said that, an agent does offer advantages when it comes to finding a club.”
Coach Warren Gatland has denied Wales have been existing ‘like monks’ during their World Cup campaign in New Zealand.
Wales will go into tomorrow’s semi-final against France with Gatland claiming: “We are not whiter than white.”
While England’s ill-fated stay in New Zealand was damaged by stories of late-night revelry, the Welsh have been portrayed as virtually teetotal.
But Kiwi Gatland insisted sWales were far from paragons of virtue.
“A lot [has been] made of us being like monks and having an alcohol ban. That’s untrue,” said Gatland.
“There has been no alcohol ban. Some of the stuff has been self-imposed by players.” Tweet
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Let's not kid ourselves if he goes it's for money pure and simple, There's no challenge being starved of the ball and watching fat lads wrestle on the floor, RU is an entertainment free zone where England are concerned.
I don't understand any rugby player ( not from OZ) who doesn't want to challenge their talent against the kangaroos the best players in the world............? Also ru is going through the classic RL chairman's Syndrome characterised by the answer being in another sport and a quick fix to every problem. Sam Tomkins may provide some good propaganda from the toadies at Canary Wharf but is not the solution that takes hard work and a long term planning and a look at how you play whatever the game. The only thing a move like that would improve would be Sam's wallet and to anyone whose ambitions are limited in this way I say bye bye shut the door behind you! I would point out that I like Sams style but no one's more important than the game as a whole!
So what!!! The SL players are all simply mercenaries aren’t they? It's not the slightest bit sport these days is it? It’s all about big, fat pay packets and no dignity in today’s boring Aussie style games.
Lancashire4ever, why don't you go back to your hole and stay there. 'Super League is for mercaneries and not the slightest bit about sport'. Where on earth did you dream up that drivel? Did you see the Grand Final? Did you see the passion of Kevin Sinfield? Are you telling me that was all about money? What a game that was. What true sportsmen we saw that day. If you have nothing positive to say, then don't say anything.
If someone offered me a shed load of money to change jobs and be abit bored i'd take it!!! At the end of the day whether we like it or not it's his job. I dont like union but it would pay better and raise his profile. League as a game need to raise there profile.
so here we have the men rugby league expert apparently trying to help union people sign one of our best players
perhaps mr barker himself should move to rugby union
The problem here is pundits have to make up a story even when there isn't one! I don't like ru and don't want to attack it for it's obvious weaknesses but thinking either that buying Sam woild be the answer for their problems in not winning a world cup is illogical! Also a lot of defectors go under the smokescreen of it not being for the money or they have achieved everthing in League. Of course its for the dosh,who wouldn't ? But until you beaten the Oz on a regular basis you have not achieved everything in RL nor anything like!
I'd said everything on this subject but I also want to take issue with Kevin Ashcroft about the basis on which he made the assertion that ru is now "more profesional" Normally I have a lot of respect for Kev. However, apart from ru having a press that tells us how wonderful they are and the evident amounts of cash I can see no real reason to put forward this idea and it is disapointing that Kev of all people is comfortable with a point of view like this one. Even if we looked into this, if anyone was at all interested, we'd just come to the astounding conclusion the in some areas one sport is more competent than the other and in others the opposite is true! Kev it's a long time since you coached and even longer since you played and such arguable statements are not helpful , or based on recent experience in the game nor are they grounded in real evidence. Sadly the history of comparison between these two sports is littered with people prepared to say the most unsound ideas as if they were the truth.
I think it's fascinating that the spin is in full gear. There may be an ru agenda here but it certainly isn't winning the next world cup, at least not so soon. So what could it be ?
Surely not to make ru look good in comparison to RL? Certain Pundits would have us believe that its better over there and apart from the money I can't see any basis on which this might be true. Suits some ru sycophants and RL disenchanted but that will never make it something we have to subscribe to- and who was it said the bigger the lie the more people believe it? Why on earth was his brother approached first- because he looks like the ideal union forward or even back come to that? This is all about competition between rival sports! Then what do RL do we let Sale join Salford at a stadium they did no work for and say things like we are all in sport together. I don't like ru and consider it a dismal sport which has been marketed very well but the idea that this story is based on it being better than RL is simply effective smoke and mirrors.