Sam Tomkins opens door to spectacular England swansong with emotional message to Shaun Wane

World Cup captain Sam Tomkins says he will always be available for England, even after retiring from club rugby league at the end of the season.

The Catalans Dragons star says he does not expect to play for his country again, but has made it clear to England head coach Shaun Wane that he will never retire from the international game.

“Shaun knows that he could call me and ask me to play prop against Tonga and I would put my hand up! I just love playing for England,” Tomkins told Love Rugby League.

“Pulling on an England jersey is the best feeling in the world so I would never retire from that.

“I’ve told him that if he still wants me to play for England then I will play.

“I think that in the position that I play there are better players in Super League now so I don’t imagine he will need me, but if that changes then I will always be available and he knows that.”

Sam Tomkins on France World Cup collapse: ‘That was a real kick in the guts’

England have played just once since the disappointment of failing to reach the World Cup final, hammering France in their mid-season international at Warrington.

They will face Tonga in an autumn series, with the future of international rugby league remaining unclear following the collapse of the 2025 World Cup in France.

“That was a real kick in the guts,” says Tomkins. “There was some momentum behind it and a lot of excitement so that was hugely disappointing.

“I hope it doesn’t affect the upward trajectory of rugby league in this country, and Toulouse being back in Super League would certainly bolster that, I would love them to be back in.

“There are question marks over what we (French sides) bring to the competition but there are a question marks over a lot of teams in Super League who bring very, very little, so the French sides certainly bring something.”

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