England Rugby
Tomkins would relish another union outing
ESPNscrum Staff
January 23, 2012
Barbarians wing Sam Tomkins releases the ball, Australia v Barbarians, Killik Cup, Twickenham, London, England, November 26, 2011
Sam Tomkins scored for the Barbarians against Australia at Twickenham © Getty Images
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Players/Officials: Sam Tomkins
Teams: Barbarians | England

Sam Tomkins would jump at the chance to play rugby union for the Barbarians again this year but insists he is not angling for a cross-code switch.

The Wigan and England fullback, whose older brother Joel Tomkins joined Saracens in November, made a guest appearance for the Barbarians against Australia at Twickenham at the end of last autumn's Four Nations Series, scoring their only try in a 60-11 defeat.

The 22-year-old, whose new five-year contract includes a clause preventing him from talking to other clubs for at least three years, enjoyed his first taste of the 15-man code and would not hesitate if invited back for more.

"It was just an opportunity I felt I couldn't miss," Tomkins said at Wigan's pre-season media day at Orrell. "It was the chance to play a different sport at a stadium like Twickenham. Not many people get the chance to play there.

"I didn't want to look back later in my career and think 'why didn't I just do that'. There was no reason not to. It was by no means trying to see what union's like. It wasn't a job interview or anything like that, like people said.

"It was purely a case of getting an opportunity to do something different and I'd certainly play again if I got offered the chance. I'd bite their hand off to play again. It was a great week building up to it, just a completely different environment.

"Obviously we got battered and no one enjoys that but I got a taste for it and next time, if I got to play a different position, I could get more involved."

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