Joel Tomkins

At 37 years old, Joel Tomkins has this physical status:

Joel Andrew Tomkins (born 21 March 1987) is an English professional rugby league footballer plays in the second-row forward for the Catalans Dragons in the Betfred Super League, and has played for England at international level.

He has previously played for the Wigan Warriors and Hull Kingston Rovers in the Super League.

He also played professional rugby union for Saracens in the English Rugby Premiership and the England Saxons and England at international level.

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Rugby league career

Tomkins was a former footballer for St. John Fisher, where he competed in the Wigan Warriors' Academy at the under-18's level in 2003. He was chosen for the 2004 Academy Origin Series. Joel was one of the most highly rated students in the Wigan Warriors' Academy.

He plays mainly in the second row, but he also plays as a center, loose forward, and prop.

He was called up to the first team at the age of 18, and he made his senior debut for the Widnes Vikings in March 2005. Joel made another 12 appearances and scored a total of three tries in 2005. Under mentor Ian Millward, who had been promoted to Head Coach of the Wigan Warriors in 2005, the talented youngster was given his chance at first-team duty.

In a match against the Catalan Dragons that the Wigan Warriors lost 38–30, Tomkins began his first match of the 2006 season at loose forward. For the second match of the season against the Leeds Rhinos, he was demoted to the bench. He was called off the bench and scored a try with his first touch of the ball to put the Wigan Warriors up by 4–0. The Wigan Warriors went on to lose the match, 16-24. Tomkins decided to resign from the Wigan Warriors in February 2006, extending his contract until 2008. He came off the bench for the next two games against the Huddersfield Giants and the Salford City Reds, but he was disqualified immediately after. He later rejoined the squad after being named on the bench for the Challenge Cup fourth round match against the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats on April 2, 2006.

He also appeared in a couple of Super League games against the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats and St. Helens before being suspended to the Academy. Ian Millward, the Wigan Warriors' head coach, was fired in April 2006 after the poor results from the Wigan Warriors team. On April 20, 2006, Brian Noble was fired. Noble and the Wigan Warriors were bottom of the Super League, and Noble decided to play a more experienced squad, which meant Tomkins would not return to action until 2006.

Tomkins spent the 2007 season in the Wigan Warriors' Senior Academy, where he scored 5 points in one match against Hull Kingston Rovers' Academy. However, despite this, he was not recalled into the first-team squad until May 17th, 2007, the Super League match against Hull Kingston Rovers. During the game, Tomkins sustained an ankle injury and was out for two weeks before returning to the Wigan Warriors' Senior Academy. He then returned to the Wigan Warriors first team for the match against the Catalans Dragons on June 15, 2007.

The 20-year-old joined the Widnes Vikings on July 27, 2007, first on a month's long loan contract with the intention of extending the contract until the end of the season.

"It's a really good signing for the club," Widnes Vikings Head Coach Steve McCormack said. Joel has a lot of skills and knowledge."

In the Wigan Warriors' first match of the season against Harlequins RL, he was a regular first-team player for the Wigan Warriors during the 2008 season. He was not included in the Wigan Warriors squad for the next two games against the Castleford Tigers and Hull Kingston Rovers, but he returned to the squad as a replacement for the game against the Bradford Bulls, where he scored his first try in the 2008 season.

Despite a good showing against the Bradford Bulls, he was not included in the squad for the next two Super League games, and Australian second-row Phil Bailey took his place in the squad. As a substitute, he was active in the Good Friday derby match against St. Helens. He kept his place in the squad for 13 games in a row, scoring two more tries, one against the Warrington Wolves in the Super League round 14 and the other against the Catalans Dragons in round 17.

Tomkins continued to be a regular presence in the Wigan Warriors' 2009 Super League season. He was a hit in the 2010 Super League season, leading the Wigan Warriors to lift the League Leaders' Shield.

At Old Trafford, Tomkins was instrumental in the 2010 Super League Grand Final victory over St. Helens.

He was then a member of the Wigan Warriors, who lost the 2011 World Club Challenge to the St. George Illawarra Dragons.

Tomkins made five consecutive appearances at the start of the 2011 Super League season, including the first game against St. Helens before being banned in a game against Hull F.C.

For the incident involving his brother Sam, he was banned from playing for one-game, he was given a two-match suspension.

In round 8, Tomkins returned for his first try of the season against the Leeds Rhinos.

In rounds 10 and 12, he had his next attempts against Hull Kingston Rovers and the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats.

In the 2011 Challenge Cup Final victory over the Leeds Rhinos at Wembley Stadium, Tomkins served as a center. After his brother Sam sent him away down the wing to score, he scored on a try.

After an eighty-meter sprint, Tomkins fended Leeds Rhinos scrum-half Danny McGuire off and he stepped ahead of Brent Webb and Carl Ablett to score under the post's.

The Wigan Warriors won the game 28-18, giving Tomkins his first Challenge Cup 'Winners' Medal.'

The Wigan Warriors announced on June 18, 2014, that they had re-signed Tomkins with immediate effect.

In the 2014 Super League Grand Final defeat at Old Trafford, he was beaten by St. Helens.

He appeared in the 2015 Super League Grand Final defeat at Old Trafford against the Leeds Rhinos.

In the 2016 Super League Grand Final, Tomkins emerged victorious with the Wigan outfit. He also won the 2017 World Cup Challenge against the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks by a score of 22–6. The Warrington Wolves defeated Tomkins in their final game for the Wigan Warriors on June 2nd, 2017.

Tomkins was banned from playing for four weeks for four weeks and was fined £10,000. After a video of him insulting bar workers in a local Wigan public house when he was not in the company of his brother Sam, he went viral on social media. In the case, the actor who was also fined £5,000 for his limited involvement in the incident.

In light of his current situation and the whole affair, Tomkins resigned as a Wigan Warriors' Rugby General Manager Kris Radlinski, which was accepted by all sides involved.

Following his release from the Wigan Warriors due to his absence, the club's president said he was "considering his future" after his 4-week suspension and £10,000 fine. He was seen obsessing bar employees in a local Wigan public house in a video shared on social media.

Tomkins had signed an 18-month deal with Hull Kingston Rovers at Craven Park until the 2019 season, which was announced on June 11, 2018.

Despite opposition from other competing Super League clubs, Hull Kingston Rovers were able to keep his position.

Tomkins made his Hull Kingston Rovers' Super League debut against the Castleford Tigers at the Mend-A-Hose Jungle on June 17th.

In a 37–10 Super League victory over Hull Kingston Rovers on his first attempt against the Huddersfield Giants on June 29, Joel bagged his first attempt for the Hull Kingston Rovers in his home debut at Craven Park against the Huddersfield Giants.

Tomkins had penned a new three-year contract extension to play with Hull Kingston Rovers until at least the 2021 rugby league season.

Joel was appointed captain of Hull Kingston Rovers on January 11, 2019, ahead of the 2019 Super League season.

He signed a two-year contract with the Catalan Dragons in October 2019, ahead of 2020.

After being suspended in the 2020 Super League playoffs, Tomkins was put on alert after inappropriate contact with Leeds player Richie Myler.

After being found guilty of inappropriate contact, Tomkins was suspended for eight games and fined £500 on 18 November.

In their 2021 Super League Grand Final loss to St. Helens on October 9, 2021, Tomkins played for Catalans.

He is a former England representative second row.

In a one-off test in 2010, Tomkins was selected to play for England against France.

Among the many occasions during the 2010–2014 rugby league seasons, he featured for England on several occasions.

Tomkins resigned from professional rugby on November 18, 2021.

Rugby union career

After a £250,000 release-fee was agreed with the Wigan Warriors at the end of the 2011 Super League season, Tomkins changed rugby codes (£120,000 a year) at the Saracens.

He played rugby union at outside center for the Saracens from 2011 to 2014.

Tomkins was selected for the first time in 2013 for the England Saxons' second-string rugby union team.

In both tests, Tomkins had his first match against the Ireland Wolfhounds, resulting in a 14–10 victory for the England Saxons after starting at outside center.

However, a week later, Tomkins' first taste of defeat in a union white shirt by a solid Scotland A squad, who ran out winners 9–13 in a rain-swept match in Newcastle.

In the 2013 Autumn International Series, he earned his debut England cap in a 20–13 win over Australia.

Following Tomkins' good-form for the Saracens in 2013–2014 season and the number 13 jersey's open, which was left open by the injured incumbent Manu Tuilagi. On November 2nd, 2013, Tomkins was chosen outside centre for England's 1st XV's 1st XV to face Australia.

England's 1st XV defeated 20-13 to regain the Cook Cup. Billy Twelvetrees, a Tomkins centre partnership with Gloucester centre, is his first center partnership.

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