Wigan's new teenage sensation Sam Tomkins was quick to pay tribute to his half-back partner Trent Barrett after exploding on to the scene in dramatic style with a five-try debut against Whitehaven.

The Warriors went some way towards exorcising the demons of last week's Millennium misery with a 106-8 victory over the Cumbrian part-timers to set up a mouth-watering Carnegie Challenge Cup quarter-final clash at Leeds, where the Warriors have an excellent recent record.

Despite a hat-trick from Barrett, and 38 points from goalkicking winger Pat Richards, the star of the show was undoubtedly the 19-year-old, who stepped in at scrum-half in place of Thomas Leuluai, who returned just hours before kick-off after representing New Zealand in Friday's Centenary Test match against Australia in Sydney.

Leuluai is expected to regain his place for Friday's engage Super League clash with Warrington, but the small JJB crowd of 3,814 were treated to a tantalising glimpse of the future, given the Warriors look almost certain to lose the services of the mercurial Barrett at the end of the season.

Tomkins hailed the contribution of Barrett, as well as that of his elder brother Joel, a young back-rower who did not play against the Cumbrians but whose advice he sought in the lead-up to the game after coach Brian Noble told him he would be included.

"Trent is one of the best players in the world at the moment," the former Wigan St Patricks youngster added.

"Just to play with him is an honour, especially when he's picking you up in training. You pick up so much off him and he's just a great player to play with.

"Nobby said 'You'll be playing this week, so you'd better get your head switched on, I want to see you play', and I was over the moon when I got home.

"Joel was really supportive this week and really tipped me up on what to do - don't try and do too much, nothing silly, play your own game. He's been a big help.

"I've just signed a new contract for two, maybe three, years, so I just want to stay at Wigan, try my best and keep sticking at it."

Tomkins accepted future matches would not present the same opportunities as his debut but he was pleased he was able to enjoy his maiden outing.

"It was brilliant. After I scored two I was thinking 'I've got to get this third one', I was pushing outside everywhere, and got it," he said.

"I understand we won't be playing Whitehaven every week and there's much tougher teams out there, like on Friday against Warrington.

"We'll have to raise our game and we'll have a big week of training - but that game just got us a bit of respect back after last week, and we'll push on now.

"I didn't expect to get any tries, every time I got the ball I was just near the line, and I got there.

"Anyone could have scored them by being on the end of them, it was the forwards who got us up that end of the field."

More news from SportingLife.com