Assessing Sam Tomkins’ hotly anticipated return to action as Catalans Dragons beat Hull FC
Sam Tomkins warms up ahead of a Catalans Dragons game in 2023
287 days after initially hanging up his boots following last year’s Grand Final heartache, Sam Tomkins returned to the field for Catalans Dragons on Saturday evening as they came out on top in a fiery contest against Hull FC.
Ever since Tomkins‘ u-turn on retirement was announced live on Sky Sports last Friday night, with confirmation that he’d be taking to the field against Hull, anticipation has been building for the three-time Super League champion’s return.
He was thrust straight back into the action by Dragons boss Steve McNamara, starting at full-back against the Black and Whites, making the 290th senior rugby league appearance of an illustrious career and 105th appearance in Catalans colours.
And below, we assess how the 35-year-old fared in his first game back, which the hosts won 24-16…
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Assessing Sam Tomkins’ hotly anticipated return to action as Catalans Dragons beat Hull FC
During the warm-up at the Stade Gilbert Brutus, Tomkins held his arms out wide and uttered the words, ‘I’m back’.
And back he was. Within just three minutes, he’d chipped a ball at Hull full-back Jack Walker before hitting him and forcing his opposite number to spill it, allowing old pal Micky McIlorum to get himself over the line for the first try of the contest.
But soon after, a Tomkins handling error allowed the visitors to march upfield and eventually get over the line through Carlos Tuimavave, and slight doubts crept in about whether returning to the field was the right move.
We needn’t have worried. From there on in, whenever Tomkins was involved, he made it look easy, even in the short period that FC had a man advantage following a red card for Dragons forward Tariq Sims.
Tomkins himself helped to ensure that wouldn’t be the case for long, dealing well with a high bomb and being clattered into by the swinging arm of Ligi Sao as he landed.
No HIA needed, but Sao was dismissed and the numbers were even oncemore.
Tomkins’ moment of magic
The veteran’s last outing at the Brutus was in the 2023 play-off semi-final against St Helens. Unforgettably, he danced his way over the line in the closing stages to win that for McNamara’s side, sealing their spot at Old Trafford in the process.
And though this game didn’t exactly have the magnitude of that semi-final, the old Tomkins ‘show and go’ came once again, and worked once again, as we’ve seen happen so often over the years.
He sent Black and Whites youngster for a hot dog to burrow his way over close to the line, with experience reigning supreme over youth.
By then, Tomkins had already earned his side a penalty – which Arthur Mourgue slotted over to make it 8-6 – and earned a ‘six again’ by using his nous to run at Yusuf Aydin in an offside position.
The full-back’s own four-pointer came from that six again call, scoring the 216th try of his career, and 202nd at club level in the British game.
He’s still got it
From there on in, there wasn’t really any more ‘magical’ moments from the full-back, denied a second try of the evening in the last few minutes courtesy of some top-notch last-ditch defence from the visitors, but he did his job and did it as well as ever.
Wherever Hull put the ball when they kicked it, he’d positioned himself almost perfectly to pick it up and get out of danger.
When support was needed in a tackle, he provided it, and when he needed to offload, he did so.
The only surprise? His Sky Sports colleagues didn’t pick him as their man of the match! Julian Bousquet was the man chosen instead.
Anyway, in case there was any ever doubt, Tomkins has still got it… in abundance. What he’s lost physically, he makes up for in his rugby league IQ.
80 minutes in the bank. Just the 640 to go in the regular season, plus (you’d expect) the play-offs. One last dance…