England
Sam Tomkins keen to try union
ESPN Staff
February 23, 2014
Sam Tomkins had a bash at union with the Barbarians in 2011 © Getty Images
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Rugby league superstar Sam Tomkins has revealed he is keen to give union a try at some stage in his career.

As rugby league still comes to terms with losing one of its prize assets Sam Burgess to union, Tomkins, who has just signed for the NZ Warriors, has also confirmed he is keen to pursue a cross-code move at some stage of his career.

''I'd like to try rugby union,'' Tomkins said. ''It's not something that's on any time scale at the moment, but I'm 24 and hopefully I've got a number of years left in me, so at some point I'd like to give union a crack."

With a three-year contract to play in the NRL, any switch for Tomkins would be with one eye on the 2019 World Cup rather than the one next year. Tomkins' brother Joel is at Saracens and Sam says cross-code moves are much more common place than before and he has also backed Burgess to succeed in the 15-man format of the game.

''It happens quite a lot now, look at Israel Folau. Kyle Eastmond in England has done it and converted well, as my brother [Joel] has,'' Tomkins said. ''To be a dual code international is certainly something I'd like on my CV.

''I hope [Burgess] does really well. He has put himself in a position where because of how good he's been over the last four years, he's given himself the opportunity to do whatever he wants in either code.

"Fair play to him. He's done plenty for rugby league, certainly English rugby league and proving that Englishmen can not only stand up in the NRL, but be among the best players. I'm sure he'll take rugby union by storm.''

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd

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