Sam Tomkins has announced a shock return to Super League as he returns from retirement to play for Catalans Dragons.
Tomkins will also continue in his role as an expert. Sky SportsThey will be back in action on Saturday 27 July when Catalonia take on Hull FC in Perpignan. Sky Sports Action – Available until the end of this season.
The 35-year-old ended a glittering 15-year playing career last year, with the former England captain and two-time Man of Steel set to retire at the end of the 2023 Super League season.
“Steve (McNamara) asked me a few weeks ago, ‘What are your chances of coming back?’ and in the last two weeks I’ve signed with the Catalans until the end of the season,” Tompkins said. Sky Sports.
“We had a meeting earlier this week and Steve said to the players, ‘We’ve got a new player coming in and Sam will be available.’
“It was met with a lot of laughter and strange looks! A lot of people thought it was a joke! When I told my wife, she was like, ‘Are you serious?’ I said, ‘Yes,’ and she just started laughing.”
Tomkins will continue to work as Sky Sports’ Super League pundit.
A three-time Grand Final winner, two-time Challenge Cup winner and two-time League Leaders’ Shield winner, Tomkins is one of Super League’s most decorated players and one of the modern-day greats.
Thanks to his ball-playing skills, running ability and vision, he had no problem playing as either fullback or halfback during his two spells with Wigan Warriors and for the Dragons and NRL team New Zealand Warriors.
Tomkins is unsure what position he will play this season, saying it will be about “strengthening the spine” of the Catalans.
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John Wilkin and Jody Cunningham both agreed that they did not expect Sam Tomkins to come out of retirement and that it would not be an easy return.
“I’m looking forward to it. When I retired, I retired happily. I had a good job at Sky and I did some good things with the Catalans. It was only when Steve mentioned it that something inside me was lit,” he added.
“I’m so grateful to the owners, Bernard (Guash) and Steve. When I signed the contract, I felt like a kid signing his first professional contract.
“I never thought I would feel the same excitement as I did when I was 17. I’m so happy. I’m excited.
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Tomkins tells the story of how he was mistaken for UFC star Conor McGregor in the south of France.
“I think I’ll be sore after the first game. I’ve had long absences due to injuries before, so I can feel it when I come back. But I feel excited and ready.”
Tomkins regains confidence in knees
Tomkins suffered a knee injury in 2022 that kept him out of four of the Dragons’ last seven Super League games. The England captain then took a break to attend the Rugby League World Cup, where he played a key role in helping the hosts reach the semi-finals.
He underwent knee surgery in January 2023, but announced in March 2023 that he would retire after the season due to the devastating aftereffects of recovering from the major injury.
“I had a few issues with my knees after it was over, but I gave them time to rest as time went on,” Tompkins said.
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During a chat on The Bench with Jenna and John, Tompkins suggests unlimited substitutions in rugby league.
“In the last few months, I’ve started helping with the coaching and have been playing for the reserves against the first team whenever needed and it’s been really nice.
“The coaches were joking, ‘I think you’ll be able to play again,’ and I felt that way. I talked to the physical therapist, and they examined my knee and said, ‘You’ve been out for eight months, and there’s a lot of healing to be done.’ I’m not going to come back and say my knee is perfect, but it’s a lot better than it was the last 12 months of last year.
“I was doing my own training so I would go to the stadium by myself before the players came in and when I was working for Sky in England I would run around the Wigan rugby stadium by myself in the early morning. People would look at me strangely but it was just to see if I could do it and if it was right for me. I think I’m ready to run again for a bit now.”
A fairy tale ending?
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Tomkins’ last-minute try sent the Catalan Dragons into last year’s Super League Grand Final!
Last season, Tomkins scored the winning try in the semi-final as the Catalans edged past St Helens but lost to Wigan in the grand final.
Tomkins joined the Catalan Dragons ahead of the 2019 season and has made a huge impact at the French club with his experience and qualities.
He said he wasn’t sure if he would continue playing beyond this season, but he wanted to improve on last year before thinking about the future.
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Tomkins said he had “achieved his dream” after playing his final game for Catalans in their 2023 Super League grand final defeat to Wigan.
“That’s the plan! I want to finish the year at Old Trafford like every other player in Super League and I’ll do everything I can to make that happen,” Tomkins said.
“We’ve got a good group here. I think we’ll be better towards the end of the season. We need to find some form like we’ve been doing in recent weeks.
“I had a fairytale ending last year, and I feel like I’ve been given another chance this time.”
Watch every match of the 2024 Betfred Super League season live, including Magic Weekend, Play-Offs, Men’s, Women’s and Wheelchair Grand Finals. Sky Sports. also Stream now.
