SEAN IN KO SHOCK
O’Loughlin ruled out of Anfield Test
ENGLAND have suffered a big blow with captain Sean O’Loughlin ruled out of the second Test against New Zealand at Anfield.
The Wigan star, who missed last year’s World Cup final through injury, is out with a calf problem.
O’Loughlin played in the 18-16 first Test win at Hull but half-back Sam Tomkins is convinced they can still thrive without him on Sunday.
He said: “We want to win the series 3-0 and we’re definitely not going to rely on the buffer of winning the first game.
“It is all or nothing for the Kiwis now but Anfield is an iconic stadium and we’d love to win the series there.”
O’Loughlin, 35, is a big loss but Tomkins knows that the main man isn’t always necessary.
Happier
He missed his own stag party in Hamburg last weekend after getting his first England call-up in four years.
Tomkins said: “I had to book it a couple of months ago because my mates had to book time off work.
“It was win, win for me – I was either on my stag do or playing for England. But I was happier that it was England.
“About 20 mates went on my stag do and they were not bothered that I wasn’t there!”
Tomkins, 29, scored the opening try in the win at Hull and admits a series win will round off a fine season before he joins Catalans.
He said: “I was desperate to finish at Wigan on the biggest high possible and I did just that by winning the Grand Final.
“But if England win the series – and we’ve a good chance – it would make 2018 the perfect year.”
Tomkins, who moves to France in December, has only one problem ahead of him.
And that’s how to tell his two young sons that their beloved pet pigs cannot move to the south of France with them.
He said: “I’ve got them a new home but
I might tell the kids they have run away.”