How much are union internationals paid these days? Surely the sponsorship opportunities and so on are greater for an England RU international than a Wigan knuckle dragger?

How many NRL clubs do you think he impressed with his last line of defence against Australia ?

I watched the Barbarians game, at times he looks very light weight especially in defence, he did a couple of decentish tackles out wide during todays game but generally ive seen players walk through and go over the top of him far too easily during SL.

Their is no doubt about how dangerous he is with ball in hand especially in open play when running the ball but as a last line of defence he's far from the finished article, he needs to bulk up a bit IMO especially for the times when he's defending on his own line where he needs strength to stop someone scoring, similar to what Paul Wellens has done that for years at saints.

Saying that Rob, Slater for a RL player isn't that big and he manages okish in the NRL

You're making that up though, aren't you? You have no idea what he gets paid or what Union clubs will pay him. Idle speculation.

Let's deal in facts. RU salary cap is much higher than ours. RFU make millions in profit, RFL maybe thousands. He's signed a 5 year deal but it appears he can talk to RU or NRL when the contract is only 60% done (and sooner if it suits) RU are interested in him. He is interested in RU (otherwise why play today?) Theres every chance he'll move on and spend his peak years playing a different sport. Accept it and enjoy him while you can.

The 300k figure is pretty close to the mark at what Tomkins new contract is at Wigan. Many RU clubs are bank rolled and are running at big loss. Clubs like Sale and Newcastle have very nearly gone bust. The salary cap may be higher but I think there is a very good chance with him staying within RL. The RFU cannot continue to bankroll players and/or clubs. The international game may be huge but club RU isnt. The crowds, cost, merchandise is no more and often less than the big rugby league clubs have. And at this stage I thinks Sam has more of a curiosity about Yawnion than an interest. However I am under no illusion that after 3 years he will leave, I just think theres a good chance it will be too the NRL

Billy Slater is deceptively strong, was it Ben Westwood that he stopped in his tracks when he looked certain to score right on the line in the Eng v Aus game ?

Would you fancy Sam Tomkins to stop Ben Westwood in a similar situation where its one on one right on the line ?

Anyway, Billy Slater has proved himself on a world stage and in the best league competition in the world. Sam Tomkins is an exciting runner with the ball but so far he's only proved himself in SL, he failed his first big test against Australia where at times he looked like a fish out of water at fullback against the aussies. They wern't even strong Australian or Kiwi squads that turned up for the 4 nations, the Kiwis had around 8+ players missing, some big names as well and this isn't anywhere near as strong an Australian squad compared to some that we have seen tour.

He didn't fail in that first game at Wembley did he? The problem in the second game was that we had a 6,7 and 9 who can't pass or kick the ball accurately.

Surely your not thinking that the Aussies were fully wound up for the first couple of games of the 4 nations ? They knew they would be in the final regardless, why expend unecessary energy against England after they had already beaten the kiwis, just 1 more win or a draw from the England and Wales games would put them in the final.

Its the same pattern as when they have toured over here in the past, usually slow starters which is why GB/England have beaten them in the early games of a test series, they only go through the extra gears when they need them. They just ticked over in 2nd gear against England at wembley, look at the difference when they upped it for the final.... It got too easy at times for the aussies, only some questionable officiating made it looks closer than it actually was at times.

How do you know what his contract is worth?

The clubs may well be in difficulties. However the RFU, which you acknowledge is cash rich, assists RU clubs in signing RL players. If they want him, and he's up for it, be under no illusions; finding the money won't be a problem.

The RFU is the richest union in world rugby, but it relies on its Twickenham internationals to bring in revenue. To put it in context three winter internationals at Twickenham will bring in between £15-18 million and that is where the revenue comes from. Every four years the finances take a massive hit because of the World Cup (when it is not held in England) and they don't have these winter internationals. The international rugby board pays 'compensation' but its only about £4million, it doesn't nearly cover what they would have got. Every four years their finances take a massive hit. After the last World Cup they made losses over over £6 million and they are projecting losses of over £10 million this year.

The England team and the branding of brand England are of crucial importance to the RFU which is why there is so much foot stomping over what went on at the World Cup, it is not just that they went out in the quarter finals, they can live with that, it's that the players were doing stupid stuff like jumping off boats and getting bladdered and Mike Tindall embarrassed the royal family, these are all things that tarnish the brand for the type of sponsors that the RFU wants to get on board.

Rugby union clubs lose money and are reliant on getting funding from the RFU so any hit to sponsorship will reverberate through the game. I know most league fans think that RU is a bottomless pit of money but it is not, RU might be richer than league but its finances are not particularly secure. The rich RU clubs are in France not England.

Also I think the NRL is going to be a bigger player in terms of taking top English league players than the RFU is, especially at the moment when England are struggling. There was an attraction for players like Jason Robinson and Henry Paul going to England RU ten years ago, because that was a team on a bandwagon bound for success in the next World Cup. League players that have had no success at international level in league, are not going to get success any time soon with England RU, they are well in the shadow of the All Blacks and Springboks.At the moment the Australian economy is booming, their exchange rate is strong and league is enjoying a boom time, so a league player wanting to get good money and raise his profile and get some celebrity, is probably worth going to the NRL like Ellis and Burgess have.