Wigan Warriors and Catalans Dragons are set to go toe to toe in the Super League Grand Final but the big story is about Sam Tomkins.
A Wigan Warriors legend, Tomkins won a Grand Final in his final game for the club in 2018. This will be his last game ever and against his former club he is looking to win the Grand Final.
He is up against a few friends and on this he said:
“I’ve played against Wigan many times in the last five years in some games, just not a final; so I’m used to that. After the final hooter we’ll be good friends again, but for 80 minutes we’re competitors. We play the sport to win, I know my friends very well and they’re just as competitive as me, so for 80 minutes we’ll battle but after it we’ll be friends again; and that’s the amazing thing about Rugby League, you meet a lot of people and make a lot of friendships so I’m lucky in that regard, but I won’t be his friend for 80 minutes.”
He also reflected on Wigan as a club:
“Wigan rugby was the biggest part of my life from 12 years old. At 12 years old I got asked to go on the scholarship I was playing for Wigan town team, and from then I wanted to play academy at Wigan; lucky enough to do that, and then it becomes your one goal to play a Super League game for Wigan.
“When I achieved that, your goals change and they keep growing and growing. Wigan was a huge part of the player that I am, the person that I am and the majority of my rugby has been played in a Cherry and White jersey, so I’m massively thankful to the club and the people there for giving me that opportunity. The last 5 years I’ve been at another club; I didn’t think I’d be in France for 5 years firstly, but the way the club accepted me and the way my family have settled there, Catalan has now turned into a club that I love and somewhere that I’ll stay and I’m very proud to represent.”
