Joel Tomkins: Sink or Swim?

There is a long list of stars that have made the big switch from Rugby League to Rugby Union in the last 10 years. Henry Paul, Karl Pryce, Lee Smith, Andy Farrell, Mark Gasnier and Shontayne Hape all made the move and failed to find the same success that they enjoyed in league.

Of course there have been success stories Jason Robinson was arguably England's best player of the last decade with his amazing combination of speed, skill and elusiveness. Chris Ashton has been one of the best players in Europe over the last year, after switching from league four years ago he has flourished in the 15 man game.

So when English champions Saracens announced that they had prized Joel Tomkins away from Challenge Cup champions Wigan, it was only natural for people to ask will the 24 year old fall into the same category of big money flops? Or will he flourish in the Aviva Premiership?

People should not be expecting to see the next 'Billy Whizz' when Tomkins takes to the field, he is completely different style player. But anybody who saw his try in the Challenge Cup final will know that he possesses great pace, he took the ball 80m past several Leeds defenders in a score very reminiscent of Martin Offiah's effort in the 1995 final. This explosive pace will certainly be a major factor for him; there are few centres in England that possess his size and speed.

Despite playing the majority of his Wigan career in the second-row, this season Tomkins was moved into the centre by coach Michael Maguire. His combination with winger Josh Charnley was a big part of the Cherry and Whites success. His size and ability to offload makes him a handful for defences and as you expect with any league player he is strong in the tackle.

Playing in the centre has developed his ball carrying ability and he isn't afraid to do the hard yards. He can run hard straight lines but also has the potential to be a great dummy runner because of his size.

Now we heard the same about Shontayne Hape when he moved from the Bradford Bulls, but Tomkins has a few more strings to his bow than the England international. His passing and handling ability is superior to Hape, and he is a much more elusive runner.

But he will need time to settle and learn the 15 man code, Saracens need to give him time to develop his skills and understanding of the game. The A League will be a great arena for him to learn to intricacies of the game, and he will be playing against some of the best young players in the country. It will be a perfect learning zone for Tomkins.

I wouldn't expect to see Tomkins taking the field in the Aviva Premiership any time soon, in fact it would be very surprising to see him feature in more than a handful of games this season. It is a too much of an investment to risk sticking him straight in at the deep end.

Given the right time Tomkins could be a massive success in union, he has all the attributes to be a top player in the modern game.  Everything you look for in a top inside centre, he has it. But as with all converts we will just have to wait and see.