Joel Tomkins
Encyclopedia
Joel Tomkins is an English
professional rugby league
footballer for the Wigan Warriors
in the European Super League
. An England international representative second-row forward, he has played his whole career to date at Wigan, winning the 2010 Super League Grand Final
and 2011 Challenge Cup
with them.
. He is a former St. John Fisher
player, he played in Wigan's Academy U18s in 2003. He was selected for the 2004 Academy Origin Series. Joel was one of the most highly rated talents in the Wigan Warriors Academy
.
in March 2005. During 2005 Joel made another 12 appearances scoring a total of 3 tries.
In February 2006 Joel agree a contract extension with Wigan Warriors which will keep him at the club until 2008. The talented youngster was given his first team chances under coach Ian Millward
who had become head coach of Wigan Warriors in 2005. Joel started the first match of the 2006 season at / in a match against the Catalans Dragons
which Wigan lost 38-30. Joel was demoted to the bench for the second match of the season against Leeds Rhinos
. After 17 minutes he was brought off the bench and scored a try with his first touch of the ball to give Wigan a 4-0 lead, Wigan lost the match 16-24. Joel started from the bench for the next two matches against Huddersfield Giants
and Salford City Reds
but was dropped to the academy. He returned to the squad when he was named on the bench for the Challenge Cup Fourth Round match against Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
on 2 April 2006, he also played in the next couple of Super League
matches against Wakefield Trinity Wildcats and St. Helens before again being dropped to the academy. Ian Millard was sacked in April 2006 because of the poor results of the Wigan side, he was replace by Brian Noble
on the 20 April 2006. Wigan were bottom of the league and Noble decided to play a more experienced squad which meant that Joel would not make another appearance during 2006.
Joel started the 2007 season in the Wigan Warriors Senior Academy
were he was in good form scoring 5 tries in one match against Hull Kingston Rovers Academy
but despite this he was not called up into the first team squad until 18 May 2007 for the super league match against Hull Kingston Rovers
. Joel suffered an ankle injury during the match and missed 2 weeks before returning the Senior Academy and later returned to the first team for the match against Catalans Dragons on the 15 June 2007.
On 27 July 2007 the 20 year old back-row forward joined Widnes Vikings
, initially on a month's loan with a view to extending the deal to the end of the season. Widnes Head Coach Steve McCormack said "It's a really good signing for the Club. Joel has tremendous ability and experience."
He became a regular first team player for Wigan during the 2008
season. He was a substitute in Wigan's first match of the season against Harlequins RL. He was not included in the Wigan squad for the next two games against Castleford Tigers
and Hull Kingston Rovers
but returned to the squad as a substitute for the match against Bradford Bulls
in which he scored his first try for 2008. Despite a good performance against Bradford he was not included in the squad for the next two super league games his place in the squad was taken by Australia
n second row Phil Bailey
. His next appearance was in the Good Friday
derby match against St Helens as a substitute. He kept his place in the squad for 13 consecutive games and he scored two more tries one against Warrington Wolves
in super league round 14 and the other against Catalans Dragons
in super league round 17.
Tomkins made five consecutive appearances at the start of the 2011 season
, including the opening fixture against St Helens RLFC and the World Club Challenge
, before being sent-off against Hull FC. He received a two match ban for the incident, with his brother, Sam, also banned for one game. Tomkins returned and scored his first try of the season in Round 8 against Leeds Rhinos. His next tries came against Hull Kingston Rovers and Wakefield Trinity Wildcats in Rounds 10 and 12.
On 27 August 2011, Tomkins scored a try in the Challenge Cup final against Leeds Rhinos. After brother Sam sent him down the wing. Tomkins fended the Leeds' scrum-half Danny McGuire
off and sidestepped past Brent Webb
and Carl Ablett
to score under the post after an eighty metre sprint. Wigan won the game 28–18, giving Tomkins his first Challenge Cup honour.
Tomkins is set to switch codes after agreeing a £400,000 a year deal at Saracens after a £250,000 release fee was agreed with Wigan Warriors.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
professional rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer for the Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
in the European Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
. An England international representative second-row forward, he has played his whole career to date at Wigan, winning the 2010 Super League Grand Final
2010 Super League Grand Final
The 2010 Super League Grand Final was the conclusive and championship-deciding game of Super League XV. Held on Saturday 2 October 2010, at Manchester's Old Trafford stadium, the match was contested by English clubs St Helens and Wigan Warriors...
and 2011 Challenge Cup
2011 Challenge Cup
The 2011 Challenge Cup was a rugby league football tournament which began its preliminary stages in January 2011...
with them.
Early life
Tomkins was born in WarringtonWarrington
Warrington is a town, borough and unitary authority area of Cheshire, England. It stands on the banks of the River Mersey, which is tidal to the west of the weir at Howley. It lies 16 miles east of Liverpool, 19 miles west of Manchester and 8 miles south of St Helens...
. He is a former St. John Fisher
St. John Fisher Catholic High School (Wigan)
St John Fisher Catholic High School is a mixed comprehensive secondary school located in Beech Hill, Wigan, Greater Manchester.It is named after the Catholic martyr John Fisher.-General information:...
player, he played in Wigan's Academy U18s in 2003. He was selected for the 2004 Academy Origin Series. Joel was one of the most highly rated talents in the Wigan Warriors Academy
Wigan Warriors Youth Development
Wigan Warriors Youth Development is the youth system of the Rugby League Football club Wigan Warriors. It is one of the most famous and successful youth system for rugby league and has produced some of the best players in both rugby league and rugby union. The Wigan Warriors Youth Development...
.
Wigan Warriors career
In 2005 was called up into the first team at the age of 18 and made his first team debut against Widnes VikingsWidnes Vikings
Widnes Vikings RLFC are an English professional rugby league club based in Widnes, Cheshire. They currently play in the Engage Super League, the top tier of European rugby league, after being awarded a license to compete in the top-flight Super League from 2012 onward...
in March 2005. During 2005 Joel made another 12 appearances scoring a total of 3 tries.
In February 2006 Joel agree a contract extension with Wigan Warriors which will keep him at the club until 2008. The talented youngster was given his first team chances under coach Ian Millward
Ian Millward
Ian Millward is an Australian rugby league coach and former player. Millward is currently the head coach at Super League side Castleford....
who had become head coach of Wigan Warriors in 2005. Joel started the first match of the 2006 season at / in a match against the Catalans Dragons
Catalans Dragons
The Catalans Dragons are a French professional rugby league club based in Perpignan, Pyrénées-Orientales. They currently play in the Super League, and are the only team in the competition from outside of the United Kingdom...
which Wigan lost 38-30. Joel was demoted to the bench for the second match of the season against Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
. After 17 minutes he was brought off the bench and scored a try with his first touch of the ball to give Wigan a 4-0 lead, Wigan lost the match 16-24. Joel started from the bench for the next two matches against Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C....
and Salford City Reds
Salford City Reds
Salford City Reds are an English rugby league club based in Salford, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1873, they currently play in the Super League. They have won six Rugby Football League Championships and one Challenge Cup...
but was dropped to the academy. He returned to the squad when he was named on the bench for the Challenge Cup Fourth Round match against Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats are a professional rugby league club that plays in the European Super League and is based in Wakefield. They achieved promotion in 1999 and have remained in the League since. They are known to their fans as Wakey, Trinity, Wildcats, or historically The Dreadnoughts...
on 2 April 2006, he also played in the next couple of Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
matches against Wakefield Trinity Wildcats and St. Helens before again being dropped to the academy. Ian Millard was sacked in April 2006 because of the poor results of the Wigan side, he was replace by Brian Noble
Brian Noble (rugby league)
Brian 'Nobby' D. Noble is an English former rugby league footballer. Noble is also the former coach of the Great Britain National Rugby League team. He was also the captain of the 1984 Great Britain touring team to Australia...
on the 20 April 2006. Wigan were bottom of the league and Noble decided to play a more experienced squad which meant that Joel would not make another appearance during 2006.
Joel started the 2007 season in the Wigan Warriors Senior Academy
Wigan Warriors Youth Development
Wigan Warriors Youth Development is the youth system of the Rugby League Football club Wigan Warriors. It is one of the most famous and successful youth system for rugby league and has produced some of the best players in both rugby league and rugby union. The Wigan Warriors Youth Development...
were he was in good form scoring 5 tries in one match against Hull Kingston Rovers Academy
Hull Kingston Rovers
Hull Kingston Rovers or Hull KR is an English professional rugby league football club based in Hull, England. The club formed in 1882 and currently competes in Super League, having won promotion from National League One in 2006...
but despite this he was not called up into the first team squad until 18 May 2007 for the super league match against Hull Kingston Rovers
Hull Kingston Rovers
Hull Kingston Rovers or Hull KR is an English professional rugby league football club based in Hull, England. The club formed in 1882 and currently competes in Super League, having won promotion from National League One in 2006...
. Joel suffered an ankle injury during the match and missed 2 weeks before returning the Senior Academy and later returned to the first team for the match against Catalans Dragons on the 15 June 2007.
On 27 July 2007 the 20 year old back-row forward joined Widnes Vikings
Widnes Vikings
Widnes Vikings RLFC are an English professional rugby league club based in Widnes, Cheshire. They currently play in the Engage Super League, the top tier of European rugby league, after being awarded a license to compete in the top-flight Super League from 2012 onward...
, initially on a month's loan with a view to extending the deal to the end of the season. Widnes Head Coach Steve McCormack said "It's a really good signing for the Club. Joel has tremendous ability and experience."
He became a regular first team player for Wigan during the 2008
Wigan Warriors 2008
The 2008 Wigan Warriors season saw the club compete in Super League XIII as well as the 2008 Challenge Cup tournament.-Season Preview:Wigan will be looking to continue their return to the top of Super League after finishing 6th in 2007...
season. He was a substitute in Wigan's first match of the season against Harlequins RL. He was not included in the Wigan squad for the next two games against Castleford Tigers
Castleford Tigers
Castleford Tigers are a professional rugby league club based in Castleford in West Yorkshire, England. They participate in the professional European competition Super League. They are sometimes known as 'Cas', 'Cas Tigers', 'Classy Cas' or the 'Black & Amber'...
and Hull Kingston Rovers
Hull Kingston Rovers
Hull Kingston Rovers or Hull KR is an English professional rugby league football club based in Hull, England. The club formed in 1882 and currently competes in Super League, having won promotion from National League One in 2006...
but returned to the squad as a substitute for the match against Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
in which he scored his first try for 2008. Despite a good performance against Bradford he was not included in the squad for the next two super league games his place in the squad was taken by Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n second row Phil Bailey
Phil Bailey
Phil Bailey is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Wigan Warriors of the European Super League competition. Bailey is a former player for New South Wales and Australia. He previously played for the Cronulla Sharks, Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and the Northern Eagles...
. His next appearance was in the Good Friday
Good Friday
Good Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of...
derby match against St Helens as a substitute. He kept his place in the squad for 13 consecutive games and he scored two more tries one against Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....
in super league round 14 and the other against Catalans Dragons
Catalans Dragons
The Catalans Dragons are a French professional rugby league club based in Perpignan, Pyrénées-Orientales. They currently play in the Super League, and are the only team in the competition from outside of the United Kingdom...
in super league round 17.
Tomkins made five consecutive appearances at the start of the 2011 season
2011 Wigan Warriors season
The 2011 Wigan Warriors season is the club's 16th season in the Super League, since its launch in 1996.Michael Maguire carried on as head coach in what would be his last season, and Ian Lenagan continued as the club's chairman and owner. Wigan reverted to using a solo captain in Sean O'Loughlin,...
, including the opening fixture against St Helens RLFC and the World Club Challenge
2011 World Club Challenge
The 2011 World Club Challenge was contested by Super League XV champions, Wigan Warriors, and 2010 NRL Premiers, the St. George Illawarra Dragons...
, before being sent-off against Hull FC. He received a two match ban for the incident, with his brother, Sam, also banned for one game. Tomkins returned and scored his first try of the season in Round 8 against Leeds Rhinos. His next tries came against Hull Kingston Rovers and Wakefield Trinity Wildcats in Rounds 10 and 12.
On 27 August 2011, Tomkins scored a try in the Challenge Cup final against Leeds Rhinos. After brother Sam sent him down the wing. Tomkins fended the Leeds' scrum-half Danny McGuire
Danny McGuire
Danny McGuire is an English professional rugby league player who currently plays for the Leeds Rhinos in the Super League. His preferred position is at /. He has played his entire career to date with the Rhinos, having come through the club's Academy....
off and sidestepped past Brent Webb
Brent Webb
Brent Webb is an Australian-born New Zealand rugby league footballer who currently plays for the Leeds in the Super League. Webb plays as a full-back and is a former New Zealand international.-Early years:...
and Carl Ablett
Carl Ablett
Carl Ablett is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays for the Leeds Rhinos of Europe's Super League competition. Carl made numerous appearances in the second half of the 06/07 season after recovering from injury, he was part of the Grand Final 2007 winning squad selected by Tony...
to score under the post after an eighty metre sprint. Wigan won the game 28–18, giving Tomkins his first Challenge Cup honour.
Tomkins is set to switch codes after agreeing a £400,000 a year deal at Saracens after a £250,000 release fee was agreed with Wigan Warriors.