Catalans Dragons can confirm Joel Tomkins will leave the club at the end of the 2021 season.

Off-contract at the end of the season, he will join Leigh Centurions after two years spent in Perpignan.

Having progressed through the Wigan Youth Development System, Joel Tomkins made his Super League debut in 2008. Named in the Super League Dream Team in 2010, he won the Super League, the Challenge Cup and the League Leader’s Shield with the Cherry and Whites and also his first caps with England.

Former England international in both rugby league and union, Joel Tomkins, 34,  has racked up over 250 first team games during his two spells for the Warriors and also played for Saracens after switching codes from 2011 to 2014. He joined Hull KR in 2018. The former Rovers captain signed for the Dragons last season. He made 19 appearances and scored 4 tries for Catalans.

Joel Tomkins

"I would like to thank everyone at the Dragons for welcoming me and my family to Perpignan over the last 2 seasons.

Special thanks to Bernard who through the adversity of the covid pandemic has always put the needs of players and staff at the dragons before himself. The way he and the club have handled the situation over the last 2 years has been unbelievable.

I think the club is in a great position to go on and achieve success in years to come with the young group of french players coming through and I wish Alex, Steve and the players good luck for the future.

There is still alot of work to be done before I leave at the end of the season and our goal as a team and the club is to win the grand final and bring the trophy back to Perpignan.

I will leave with a heavy heart after making some great friends during the last 2 years but throughout my career I have always looked for new challenges as it is a short career in professional sport and this move feels right for me and my family as I feel I have a lot to give to Leigh Centurions even as I come towards the end of my career."

Steve McNamara, Catalans Dragons headcoach

"We understand and accept Joel’s decision to return home. He will be sorely missed as I feel he is in great form right now and will continue to be for the rest of the season."