Would be great to see TJ do that to Tompkins.

Fair comment to be honest, however I didn't hear it so I don't know how it was put across. TJ is still developing, and maybe that's why it warranted a comment. However if that's all people have to moan about, I'm sure he'll have nothing to worry about

Your not allowed to touch referees.

Out of interest can anyone work out the time over the distance from TJ collecting the pass? And compare his tome / speed to sprinters.

Don't know but it wasn't much faster than Mead.

But mead wasn't carrying a ball


always amazes me when people think that the chaser is faster or nearly as fast as the ball carrier, it cost you quite a bit off top speed carrying something or immobilising one arm. In a straight sprint over 100m I reckon TJ would beat mead by 10+ meters

I think he ran out of grass before hitting top, so in that respect he's not fully back to his pre-injury best but he's still a pretty fast thing regardless.
Both him and the club have done an excellent job getting him to where he is, but there is more to his game than just trailblazing.

I like the fact he constantly checked and knew where mead was tbh. He knew he’d get there so no need to make any sort of play or swap the ball to another hand. Great try.

Does me tbh. Anyone that's played Rugby will know that once you get the ball, tuck it in your arm & sprint you can feel that you're not as quick.
I was on an NRL website the other week when the WCC was on and I think it was St George was training. They were having sprints between a ball carrier and non-ball carrier. I think it was Tariq Sims that was doing it against someone else. The first time he didn't have the ball and beat the other dude easy over about 40 meters, the second time when he had the ball he had to dip to beat him out. Interesting to watch because you don't often see it side by side like that unless you do it yourself in training, if/when you played.

You only have to look at sprint relay teams times to see that and they are only carrying a batton. If you take ito account that TJ was continually adjusting his angles to steer clear of the toucline plus preparing to dive for the line his speed is incredible. By contrast all Mead had to do was get near enough to knock him off balance and he couldn't, it was a good effort but Tom was just to fast and lets not forget too balanced.

That was my earlier point - he's not just quick, he has amazing agility and control; and his acceleration off the mark is unreal.

All that said - didn't some club stats last year say that Reece Lyne was the fastest in the squad over 60 metres?

I've yet to see any evidence of this in a game. Not that I'm disputing it but even when he scored that full lengther against Leigh he looked like he was running through treacle for the last 20 metres. Lyne's game has improved massively as he's got slower that's the weird thing.

If I recall it went

MCB slightly faster over 100m
TJ next
Lyne 3rd but was fast over the first 60.
Miller quick off the mark and over 30 meters

We all know that to be a great winger pace alone won't do it. Anticipation, positioning, balance and above all the bottle to go for it are what really count.

Lyne is a decent player but he hesitates, MCB a bit better but TJ rarely thinks twice. If he thinks he can score he's off and it that split second that makes all the difference imho. It just as much of a gift as his pace which is often made to look even better than it already is by this ability/

Offia was the master at this, he was quick but here were quicker but none were ever as certain to score as he was.

It was a stat from the training output - so I can't see how it would be untrue; but I take your point.

I guess the issue for Lyne is that he's more often than not running through traffic and trying to bust tackles - whereas when TJ gets into full flight, it's usually off a good pass from his centre, so Huddersfield wonder-try aside, he has more opportunity to just open up and run like buggery?

I love that - can just imagine them saying that to him in training - all you need to do is ^^^

Just out of interest over 100m where do you think Hampshire would fit in a race against the others?

I did fear that using a technical expression like that might lose people - so I'm glad you're with me!

Well, I watched Hampshire chase an in the clear TJ down and complete a tackle when playing for Cas (and then get sin binned, amusingly) so he is obviously no slouch. TJ was one or two games back from a leg fracture though if I remember correctly.

My guess would be
MCB
TJ
BJB
Hampshire
Lynne

Probably Tupou not far behind.

That's why I asked the question as it's not often Hampshire gets the opportunity to show his pace, difficult to assess I suppose, with two different running styles with TJ and BJB, as against MCB and Rocky.

It’s an old timers like myself phrase

I thought Chester had said that mcb was fastest over the first 30 and Johnstone was fastest over the 100?

That’s as I remember it anyway

Near the end of the game, Finn ended a set with a kick to touch which bounced off a few cats players and ended with a scramble on the floor for possession.
Anyway, TJ came up with it surrounded by broken play, shrugged off 5 defenders over 20yds who all laid hands on him and got to the 10.
There was never 20yds in that play, there was being pushed in to touch, there was a go to ground to save going in to touch and there was a risky pass, there was no 20yd gain from that I don't think.
Unluckily somebody had a hold of him or he would have been in.
Fast is good but there was no fast in that...

Great shout Vasty, a few years ago I would have agreed with FT but I read an article by Offiah (in a Yawnion rag) about the subject. He said "wearing rugby boots and on grass the difference is negligible but on a running track and in spikes it would be very noticeable." I suppose the lighter modern ball would come into it and not all wingers tuck it under their arm and some carry it in one hand. Having watched TJ's try again I concede he wasn't flat out all the way and was looking back at Mead, much like Offiah used to do.