England boss Wayne Bennett says he’s unsure if Sam Tomkins will start Saturday’s first Test against New Zealand. England take on the Kiwis in the first of the three-match series at Hull’s KCOM Stadium and Tomkins, fresh from helping Wigan Warriors win the Super League title, is not an automatic selection.
The 29-year-old has only just joined up with the rest of the squad preparing for Saturday’s game as he was at a wedding over the weekend and Bennett says he’s yet to decide if he will start after revealing Jonny Lomax is likely to get the nod at full-back.
Bennett said: “There’s a chance that Sam Tomkins will play. He only came in yesterday as he’s been at a wedding this weekend. He’s a very talented player – he probably won’t play full-back though as Lomax is a good fit there.”
Bennett says Hull FC’s Jake Connor has been among the players to catch his eye in training in the build-up so far and he is also pushing for a start.
The England coach added: “He’s quite understated and doesn’t say much in camp but he can play in a number of positions and he’s multi-talented, so he is a very good option for us.”
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