I wonder what his urine sample came back like....

This doesnt surprise me at all with Joel but how do we know nothing has been done about it internally? For all we know, Joel may have been 'playing for free' for the last few weeks

Also, now the video is out then the CPS may decide to take a look

The problem is that by not revealing they've dealt with an incident of breach of discipline (which it surely is) internally, as other clubs have done following players being dropped/fined, once the details get out it makes it look like the club care more about covering for their stars than disciplining them for poor behaviour. The club must have been aware of how the video looked when they tried to keep it hushed up, and that if it did get out it would be incredibly embarrassing. They could have saved face by revealing Joel had been punished, even if they didn't give specifics. That way when the video did surface we'd see what he did and think the club did the right thing. Now the club is open to accusations of favouritism, of Rads just covering for his mate and keeping it quiet and of caring more about protecting their star players than protecting bar staff [ifrom[/i their players.

Just watching it now my my it’s worse than being there our games fitness was gone after the first few moments it’s a shocker and then to watch Joel’s star turn you think things can’t get worse dear me I know we do daft things drunk but in the public eye you can’t do that and expect to get away with it

The worrying thing for me is that Joel is supposedly taking up some kind of management position at the club when he finishes - that is really going to drive up standards isn't it?

Spot on. An awful event, badly handled IMO.

I can guarantee you wouldn’t have caught Joel doing this when at Saracens.
Says a lot about our culture, both at Wigan & within the wider sport.

The trouble is that, even if an apology is offered to the bar staff and it's accepted, the fact remains that yet again Wigan players have been misbehaving while out on the lash.

I know there are one or two stalwarts who still defend players' rights to go out and get legless, but my response would be: 'Just so long as you don't expect them to be winners on the pitch'.

Time and again in recent years, we've been hearing about players getting into scuffles, getting injured, getting on the wrong side of the law, staggering around town in the early hours. On top of that embarrassment, what kind of effect is it having on their fitness? They might look lean and mean on the outside, but we've all had a heavy night and been affected by it for several days - we all know from experience that this is something you can't just shake off come match day.

For professional sportsmen, this is just not good enough - not if we want to compete at the top level.

So, is it just someone being a bell, for which a slapped wrist will be adequate, or is it someone whose behaviour exemplifies what currently seems to be a communal disrespect for the club, the fans and, judging from this video, just about everyone else?

Devil’s advocate - This is bad and I’m not defending anybody here but this is very similar to the Albert Kelly incident in McDonalds. Hull made no public comment and within days of it coming out, he was given a new contract. I’m interested to see how Wigan handle this situation. I’m pretty sure the Albert Kelly one is on YouTube if you haven’t seen it.

Tbf it might not be the club who paid her. What she wrote is "they" paid me to keep quiet. That could mean the club or "they" could've been the Tomkins brothers off their own back.

I expect the club haven't seen the content of the video until today. They were probably advised that there was a video of Joel & Sam being drunk idiots and all parties have determined that the best course of action is for the players to pay a grand for the video to be deleted - and draw a line under it.

An awkard few days coming up. And for us fans, it is very demotivating and leaves a bitter taste.

Other than some knuckle dragger's twitter conversation mentioning she'd been paid to keep quiet, is there somewhere authentic that says this?

I can understand if the Tomkins pair had gone back and offered her some cash by way of an apology off their own back, but I cannot see the club doing, or even suggesting that. That said, if it is the case and she pocketed some "hush money", I wonder if she'll be refunding them!

I'm expecting the WW twitter editor will be called into work this morning. Its going to be a long day for him/her....

The second money becomes involved,if it has of course who knows,just surmising here,it gets very grubby indeed.

There's also the criminal offence that has been committed. From the video in question, it seemed the girls were going to contact the police with the matter. Could this constitute perverting the course of justice? Joel did appear to assault the young lady and she has been paid to keep it quiet...

The girl herself commented on Facebook stating she had been paid. As for perverting the court of justice I think you’re getting a little carried away, the police were not involved with the matter it was dealt with in house.

I really do think everyone is going over the top personally. Sam stands there doing nothing and Joel Tomkins says some choice words, going behind the bar is the no no but labelling it as abuse or assault is ridculous.

Disgraceful!
I've been watching Wigan RL for over 50 years, and this is the lowest of the low. Wont be a supporter any longer if this is condoned by the club in the form of zero action.

The bar owner / licencee has a duty of care over their employees, and if I was in their shoes I'd be bringing the matter to the attention of the Police, as an assault has been made.

If the club had been unawares, then that would certainly focus their attention! The paying of "hush" money is equally disgraceful! What if they 'got away' with it? That would leave the possibility of the knob-head doing the same again, and next time someone could get physically hurt, and it likely wouldn't be a weight training professional (and I use that term loosely) RL player.

Get the cops, and it'll be the 2nd time this week that this idiot would be done over by the boys in blue.

If that was your wife,daughter or sister being manhandled by a customer would you still dismiss it as ridiculous

Taken from Wigan Today .


A video has emerged of Wigan Warriors stars Joel and Sam Tomkins being abusive and threatening to bar staff. In the video, which has circulated on social media today, the rugby ace brothers were seen in the midst of a confrontation with staff at Standish bar, Fifteens. Joel, 31, can be seen pushing past a bartender to get behind the counter despite being asked to leave by staff who asked "who do you think you are?" after multiple attempts at ousting the players. Sam, 29-year-old fullback, can also be seen in the video initially refusing to leave the bar. Joel can be heard saying: "What are you doing with your life? You're a disgusting creature." The video was taken around five weeks ago. Tony Callaghan, owner of Fifteens, said: "I contacted the club and both Joel and Sam, as soon as it had happened, wanted to come and meet the two girls involved and apologise. "I went with them, with it being two rugby players they were concerned. They did apologise profusely. "The police were called on that night but no further action was taken. "It's unfortunate that they are rugby players, I see similar incidents to this all the time. They should know better." Tony has been in contact with Wigan Warriors, who told him that they would deal with the players in-house. "I have a duty of care for my staff," added Tony. "In a nutshell two people have drunk far too much and been very cocky and arrogant. Unfortunately it's one of those situations." The club was not available for comment at the time of publication.

No you’re right, if it was my wife, daughter or sister I may have a different view. I do not condone what Joel in particular has done regardless of the “victim”, but I do believe it has been welly and truly blown out of proportion.

I'm not sure it has been blown out of proportion. Joel has acted like a complete dick, most people can go out and get drunk without acting and speaking in such a manner. Total arrogance and entitlement.

Yes we have probably all done foolish things at times, but we aren't all representing the town team out in Wigan. Made me absolutely cringe watching the video.

Disgraceful behaviour but i would be even more concerned if they were behaving like that whilst not so drunk. Joel had clearly had far too much to drink.

I can't comprehend how much the wheels have come off since the Magic weekend. Backroom staff left, coach leaving, top players leaving, a crap performance in the cup and now this video. This is the most deflated I have felt in 50+ years watching Wigan. We either need an explanation as to what to what the hell is going on or a big reaction to put things right.

Seems to me that the only sense being spoken here is from the bar owner. JT in particular looks like a complete tool from this video and should know better but does anyone actually know what sparked this incident? You certainly can't tell from the video. What if, for example, he was calling the girl a 'disgusting creature' in response to her being racially offensive? Would everyone be condemning him quite so vociferously or would the same people be saying well done for making a stand? I'm not saying that's what happened but that's exactly the point.. we don't know.

Given that the bar owner said it had been dealt with to everyone's satisfaction and that the girl said she was paid to keep it quiet but released it anyway aren't we all jumping the gun a bit here. It's quite possible there's more to this than is immediately apparent from a video clearly started half way through an incident.

That said, there's nothing more obnoxious than a drunken bell end if that's all that's going on here.

The police were called.

Perfectly put. Exactly the point I have been trying to get across, albeit not as well.

There are few worse things in modern society than trial by social media. It's the current equivalent of pitch forks and burning torches. I'm not defending Joel here. If he's out if line he should be adequately dealt with. From the bar owner's comments it appears he already has. If it turns out more needs to be done, so be it. However, there's a right and a wrong way to go about that. Trial by social media is most definitely the wrong way. I would like to think any rationally minded person would agree. Sadly, it seems not to be the case.