Did Briers get banned for his "one fingered salute" a few years ago? Don't think he did and if you wire fans thought that was fine then you're all being a bit hypocritical tbh.

Hardly all of us, is it? Plenty of us have said he shouldn't be banned

Putting the gesture to one side, he could have done himself a favour if he'd 'manned up' after the game and just apologised when given the opportunity, instead the BBC report that he 'doesn't know what they're on about'. I think people, certainly RL fans (not this place, sure) would have had a degree of understanding for him, given the abuse he took at Leeds etc, if he'd just said "Yeah, apologies for that, I let the occasion get to me, with hindisght I'm not proud of that and I'd like to apologise etc etc". A lot of this would have gone away, instead he's chosed denial.

As for Joel's comments, there was a lot of niggle in that game yesterday, Bailey heavily involved, Joel plays his part. He's now a serious rival to Bailey as the most niggly bloke in SL, he's involved in everything that doesn't represent Wigan well. Many of the Wigan players yesterday could be seen pulling both Tomkins away from situations, Hoffman in particular was very keen to drag them off and obviously to concentrate on the game so I guess there's a bit of kettle & pot.

For me, I thought a lot of the niggle around yesterday seemed to stem from that whole patronising someone when they make a mistake, patting them & ruffling hair whilst laughing and cheering in faces. It's been creeping into RL for a while. Both Bailey & Tomkins are buggers for that as well.

I'd say to teach him a lesson all opposition fans should put complaints into BBC and Ofcom, not something that should be seen at that time of day.

makes him and us look small time.

Sam Tomkins waited 12 months for that he did witness Lee Smith score a last minute try last season in the Challenge cup to knock them out of the comp,Nothing in it for me if your gonna give it then you have got to take it simple really.

Fans think they have some god given right to insult players their wifes and familys etc then when some player retaliates theres a massive outcry of ban them etc..

Football is a prime example next time a player goes and takes a corner kick look at all the hand gestures of the opposing fans and their twisted faces towards one player who is taking a corner against their team unbelivable.

some people will moan and complain about anything we had it with briers now the pies will have it with sam

Not that bad to be honest. I'd be alot worse if I was him.

I hope he's charged and receives the same punsihment as Lee Briers did for doing the same thing.

he didnt do the same thing

You should get punishment for your sig. Embarassing.

Don't be too embarassed. Wire are doing better than Saints or the Giants.

Not that have gone to review that I can remember but Lee Briers did it a year or so back on nothing happened. He was wrong, he shouldnt have done it but lets not blow it out of proportion!

He's right though - especially when your team is top of the actual league.

Why don't you get yourself a girlfriend?

I think my wife might object.

Funny seeing people get so worked up behind their computers!

Funny you've nothing better to do than troll....

Will Matt King be banned for making the winker gesture at fans a couple of years ago?

I very much doubt that.

Or Myler and Mathers get retrospective punishment for their 2 fingered salute to the away fans at the HJ last season?

Maybe Sean Long for the countless times he's flicked the V's?

I think the difference is that it was one of rugby leagues biggest games being screened by the BBC in other countries as well as England. Tomkins did the gesture right in front of the TV cameras on a Saturday afternoon, with people new to our game watching, who will have no doubt been offended. While this was happening on another channel the other code was being played and although I hate to say it there was no sign of their golden boy (Jonny Wilkinson) letting down his sport.

Like others have said, it was a showpiece BBC televised event and if the RFL choose to ignore this then they are just laughable as a governing body for our sport.

He should be banned just for his pure arrogance with this response as on the BBC website

"But he played down the report that he made a two-fingered sign after Wigan scored their first try.

"Someone else mentioned that to me," he said. "I really don't know what it is."

I have stood up for him when he was getting the abuse Headingly but now he deserves every bit of abuse he gets.

Thats one of the differences between RL and RU. I know people on here hate RU because of the class war but most RU players - and fans - are university educated people who know how to conduct themselves properly which is why you don't have players swearing at fans or all the fan trouble that you have in league. I'm not saying that RL by being more a working class sport, has lower class of people (I grew up in a crappy part of Wythenshawe so am hardly Eton class) but we have to put up with our share of broken Britain chavs amongst the players and fans. You just have to accept what comes with both.

I like both Oasis and Coldplay but I don't expect Liam Gallagher to behave the same way Chris Martin does.

" Crappy part of Wythenshawe"

could you enlighten us on the " not so crappy" part of Wythenshawe?