Play it again, Sam
Sam Tomkins looks set to play a pivotal role in the first team over the coming weeks as Warriors sweat over Tim Smith's shoulder injury.
Australian Smith dislocated the joint against Hull KR on Sunday and yesterday had it assessed by doctors.
Coach Brian Noble was this morning waiting to discover the severity of the injury, but feared he could be missing for several weeks.
"It could look long term, we're waiting to find out," said Noble.
Smith was forced out of Sunday's game against Hull KR in the opening minutes.
Medics managed to put his shoulder back into place, and the Australian stand-off wanted to return to the action but Noble decided not to risk making the injury worse.
In his absence, 20-year-old Tomkins produced a sparkling display to earn the man-of-the-match award.
The academy product scored one try, created several more and troubled Hull KR with his astute kicking and darting runs.
His starring display helped set up a nail-biting 36-28 victory to end a
turbulent week in which there was renewed speculation over Noble's
future and star back-rower Gareth Hock was suspended for failing a drugs test.
Tomkins, though, was quick to deflect praise on to skipper Sean O'Loughlin for his influential role in the build-up to the match.
"Lockers spoke to the players in the week and said we can't use everything that has gone on as an excuse," said Tomkins.
"He drilled it into us that we should instead be using it to spur us on.
"He told us that we're not where we want to be in the league, and that we're the only ones who can do
anything about it."
Wigan's next game is against Harlequins at the JJB Stadium on Friday.
Tomkins added: "It'll be nice to get back at the JJB as it seems like it has been ages since we last played there. And I'm a home bird anyway! It's the best place for us to play."
A spell on the sidelines would be a cruel blow to Smith, who is out of contract at the end of this season and is keen to impress NRL clubs ahead of a possible return to Australia next year.
But Noble did received some welcome news on the injury front, with centre Martin Gleeson reporting that he hopes to be back in the selection frame for Friday's game after missing Sunday's match with a
hamstring strain.
Meanwhile, the RFL was today set to test a 'B' sample given by Hock to
decide the forward's fate.
An initial test – carried out on a sample taken after Wigan's game against Salford on June 5 – showed Hock had a metabolite of cocaine in his system.
The 'B' sample is taken at the same time as the 'A' sample, but tested
independently and separately if the initial test is positive for any banned substances.
It can take up to seven days for the results of the 'B' sample to be made public and Hock remains suspended until then.
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Weather for Wigan
Friday 10 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -6 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: -1 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 3 mph
Wind direction: South
