With next year’s Super Rugby Pacific season fast approaching, the Western Force have added more quality to their ranks with the signing of Sio Tomkinson for 2025. Tomkinson is a former New Zealand U20 international who also played for Highlanders and Otago.
Tomkinson has played for Dragons RFC in the United Rugby Championship and European Rugby Challenge Cup over the past two seasons. The 28-year-old has attempted six crosses in 24 appearances for the Welsh club.
Playing 43 times for the Dunedin-based Highlanders between 2017 and 2022, scoring 14 tries during that period, the midfielder has proven to be a reliable option at Super Rugby level. Tomkinson also played 49 games for Otago at NPC level in New Zealand.
The Force have been impressed with Tompkinson over the past month as the center has trained with the squad. Tomkinson was selected in the squad for the tour of South Africa and signed on a permanent contract.
“He is a very experienced midfielder and has the ability to play both number 12 and number 13 for us,” manager Simon Krohn said in a statement. “He has great defensive skills and is extremely physical in the contact zone.
“We had early, in-depth conversations with him about what he could bring to the team and he has shown all that since he arrived. We are excited to have him on board.
“He has played over 50 games at the highest level, including 50 at NPC level, and at 28 he still has a lot of rugby left in him.
“He will help everyone around him become better. He has a good voice on the field and has fit perfectly into the group.”
Tomkinson has always been used as an outside center for the Dragons, but he has also played a bit as a number 12 and on the wing. The New Zealander actually scored a try from the wing in a 33-25 loss to the Lions at Emirates Airlines Park in November 2022.
Before that, Tomkinson played six consecutive games on the right wing for the Highlanders, including a start in the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman final in June 2021. However, it is safe to say that his best position is midfielder.
“I’m really excited to sign with Western Force and get back to playing Super Rugby,” Tomkinson explained. “I’m looking forward to the challenge ahead and can’t wait to start pre-season with the players.
“I’m excited to see what they’re building in Perth and excited to be a part of it moving forward.”
Tompkinson will join Wallaby Dylan Pietsch, former All Black Matt Proctor, back rower Vaiolini Ekuasi and towering lock Darcy Swain ahead of the 2025 campaign. ), joining the likes of the Force’s newest recruits ahead of the 2025 campaign.
