My Life in League: Sam Tomkins’ career story including Warrington ‘idol’

Former England captain and two-time Man of Steel Sam Tomkins is our latest guest on Love Rugby League: My Life in League, our brand new feature for 2025. 

Throughout the year, some of rugby league’s biggest stars will be sitting down with us to discuss their journey in the sport.

From the amateur club where their league story began, to their childhood heroes and standout memories on the pitch.

Tomkins is quite simply one of the most successful  and talented players the British game has ever produced, winning three Super League Grand Finals, two Challenge Cup finals and the Man of Steel award in 2012 and 2021.

This is Sam’s story, told exclusively by him.

First amateur club

Chorley Panthers. My brother Joel signed up to play, they didn’t have a team for my age so I just tagged along and played a year or two above myself. They have a great set up now but it wasn’t great back then. We quite quickly moved to Wigan St Pats.

First rugby hero

Alfie Langer. All my family is from Warrington so we were Wire season ticket holders from a young age.

When Langer signed for Warrington I remember queuing up at the club shop at Wilderspool to get his name on the back of my jersey, I was amazed that this little guy could come in and do what he did, and he was the first rugby player that I idolised.

First academy coach 

Shaun Wane. You might have heard of him. He was the under-18s coach and Adrian Lam was the under-21s coach when I left school. I started playing for the academy when I was 15 and still in school.

First senior coach

Brian Noble in 2008 and 2009. You might have heard of him too. I played one game in 2008 and got my shot at Super League the following year.

Super League debut 

Super League round 3, London away in 2009. I was playing really well in the reserves and Nobby was under pressure. I got chucked in and stayed on the bench for a few weeks until Tim Smith broke his shoulder away at Hull KR. That was it, I was starting half-back from then.

First senior try

I scored five on debut at Whitehaven, which nobody had ever done in rugby league history apparently. But we did win it by 100.

First trophy

We won the League Leaders’ Shield in 2010 but I don’t really count that. The Grand Final that same year was my first real proper trophy.

Favourite game

Finals are easy to pick and I am fortunate to have a good selection of those. But outside of that in 2011 it would be the Wigan-Saints derby at Wigan on the Good Friday. Liam Farrell scored in the last minute to win the game. Brilliant.