Tomkins Guilty of Misconduct

Wigan full-back Sam Tomkins has been found guilty of minor misconduct over his two-fingered salute to the Leeds fans during Saturday's Challenge Cup final win over the Rhinos.

The 22-year-old England international was disciplined by his club on Monday for the obscene gesture and was given a rap over the knuckles by the Rugby Football League on Tuesday.

Tomkins was found to be in breach of the game's operational rule D1.8(c), which covers improper conduct, and the RFL's Respect Policy.

He was fined £1,000 - suspended until the end of the 2012 season - and also reprimanded and warned about his future behaviour.

Tomkins has 14 days to appeal but will hope that the announcement brings an end to his embarrassment.

He made the v-sign to Leeds supporters while celebrating his side's first try on their way to a 28-18 victory at Wembley.

Tomkins had claimed ignorance when asked about the incident after the match, even though photographs circulating on Twitter by then appeared to provide damning evidence against him.

Tomkins and Wigan issued a public apology over the incident on Monday night, while the club revealed the player had been censured and fined an unspecified amount.

Wigan chairman and owner Ian Lenagan said the club were "ashamed" of the incident while Tomkins expressed his regret, claiming the gesture was made in the "heat of the moment".

Tomkins is expected to keep his place in the Wigan side for Sunday's penultimate game of the regular Super League season at Warrington, where victory would ensure the champions finish top for the second year in a row.

Meanwhile, Warrington coach Tony Smith is expecting Wigan to remain on a high for Sunday's table-topping crunch clash with his side at the Halliwell Jones Stadium but is warning them it will be tough to complete the elusive double.

The Warriors were back in training on Tueday, three days after their memorable 28-18 Wembley triumph over Leeds, to begin preparations for their penultimate match of the regular Super League season.

Victory over the second-placed Wolves would enable Wigan to retain the League Leaders Shield and put them in pole position going into the play-offs. Defeat would mean the race for top spot going down to the last weekend.

Having guided Warrington to recent back-to-back Cup final triumphs, Smith knows only too well the difficulty in reverting to the bread and butter of the league.

His depleted side lost 40-16 to Hull KR a week after their 2009 win over Huddersfield and last year dismally failed to make a mark in the play-offs, losing to both St Helens and Huddersfield.

Smith believes the mental and physical rigours of a long season could catch up with Wigan but does not believe this weekend is the best time to play them.

"I'd argue the opposite from our experience," said Smith. "We're expecting them to go for it this week and to be at their best.

"Last year we were able to aim up for a short time afterwards. We had a four-day turnaround and went down to Harlequins and put in a pretty good performance.

"It was the weeks following that we found it tough. We found it hard to get ourselves back up the levels we had before the cup.

"We felt fatigued emotionally as well, after playing in front of 70,000 or 80,000 people.

"Whether Wigan will handle it differently to us remains to be seen but it takes some doing. If they manage to do the double, good luck to them, they will have done well.

"We weren't able to do that but we'd certainly like another crack at it one day. They are the sort of challenges I like to be involved in."

Warrington are likely to have utility player Simon Grix back to face Wigan after missing his side's last match, a 25-12 win over Catalan Dragons in Perpignan, with a groin injury.

But back rower David Solomona will sit out Sunday's game after picking up a one-match ban for a dangerous tackle against the Dragons and also undergoing minor surgery on a fractured figure.

"He probably wouldn't have played this week any way," said Smith. "He dislocated his finger in the last couple of minutes of the last game and they had trouble getting it back in."

Full-back Brett Hodgson is unlikely to recover in time from a leg injury, meaning another run-out for Chris Riley, while England forwards Ben Westwood and Adrian Morley remain on the sidelines with long-term injuries.