Noel Reid Appreciation Thread!

[wixfjord]

With all the positivity around Henshaw, Ringrose and ROL, another of our centres is being slightly forgotten.

Noel Reid has had an excellent season and has really stepped up to lead our backline when others have been away.
His defence has been much improved (just ask Josh Matavesi), but the most impressive part of his game, his passing, has just been beautiful this year.

Another two crackers against Glasgow at the weekend. Is there anyone in Irish rugby (bar Tadhg Furlong of course) better at throwing a miss pass over a defender's head?

He's had a tonne of flack thrown at him (from myself included) over the last few years and never really kicked on, but this season he fully deserves the plaudits.

Along with Bent and Triggs, he's one of our unsung heroes of the season for me. Probably not at international standard, but I'd be happy to see him given a shot in a Euro game or knockout if Henshaw or Ringrose pulled up.

Well done Noel!

[ronk]

I wouldn't worry about him at normal international standard, but don't see him forcing his way ahead of Henshaw.

Depending on the game plan he's a top 12, but he doesn't truck it up like others do and that does limit him sometimes. When you have strike runners coming through from elsewhere he's great to have, but in the games where we haven't hadn't many ball carriers it can get easier to defend against.

[Oldschoolsocks]

Pretty much what ronk said, with the addition of well done Noel Reid, never a tackle shirked - the stopping of Big Nick Williams in his tracks when you were last line of Defense in the RDS was a thing of beauty and is my fondest memory of the year.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I don't think that's true of this season, his carrying has improved hugely. His defence and his carrying has improved out of sight, so much better in contact these days as well as his attacking threat being more consistent. He's really stepped up and is really unfortunate that we signed Henshaw when we did.

[wixfjord]

I don't think anyone sees him as usurping Henshaw, but his feet, lines (both of which have improved a lot) and passing offer a very different threat. Doesn't always have to be power to get over the gainline.

[leinsterforever]

He can change a game off the bench as well. Think I'd have him in the first choice 23

[Raydollard]

He was always very good but he was one whose development was stymied by O'Connor and his men.

[paddyor]

Probably a better 12 than Madigan.

[Raydollard]

I agree - with Madigan at 10 and Reid at 12, a constant request of mine, we would have won far more than we did during the wasted years under the clown O'Connor.

[Oldschoolsocks]

No, Madser has been well figured out

[blockhead]

I think Jimmy would thrive in this new environment.
Top player, it was us not him who was gash at the time.

[fourthirtythree]

I was convinced that Gopperth would thrive at Wasps as he was made for running rugby and had a great break. We needed a steady hand and had none of that exciting improvisation about us at all.

So basically Gopperth and Madigan were two of the worst options available for a team as limited as we were at the time. As you say, he'd do much better with the current Leinster team around him. So would Madigan as it happens.

Edit
Noel Reid, to bring it on topic, would obviously thrive in any attack minded setup. His defence two years ago looked contact averse so he wouldn't have survived at the highest level. But the relish he brings to stopping Williams dead in his tracks and driving him back 15 metres (is was that wasn't it?) is new this season and quite a revelation. It allows him to play with the big boys more.

[Dexter]

I was convinced that Gopperth would thrive at Wasps as he was made for running rugby and had a great break. We needed a steady hand and had none of that exciting improvisation about us at all.

So basically Gopperth and Madigan were two of the worst options available for a team as limited as we were at the time. As you say, he'd do much better with the current Leinster team around him. So would Madigan as it happens.

Edit
Noel Reid, to bring it on topic, would obviously thrive in any attack minded setup. His defence two years ago looked contact averse so he wouldn't have survived at the highest level. But the relish he brings to stopping Williams dead in his tracks and driving him back 15 metres (is was that wasn't it?) is new this season and quite a revelation. It allows him to play with the big boys more.

It was at least 30 metres! Nearly as far as Mike Ross' step and line break against Dragons...

[LeinsterLeader]

I was convinced that Gopperth would thrive at Wasps as he was made for running rugby and had a great break. We needed a steady hand and had none of that exciting improvisation about us at all.

So basically Gopperth and Madigan were two of the worst options available for a team as limited as we were at the time. As you say, he'd do much better with the current Leinster team around him. So would Madigan as it happens.

Edit
Noel Reid, to bring it on topic, would obviously thrive in any attack minded setup. His defence two years ago looked contact averse so he wouldn't have survived at the highest level. But the relish he brings to stopping Williams dead in his tracks and driving him back 15 metres (is was that wasn't it?) is new this season and quite a revelation. It allows him to play with the big boys more.

Anybody know which game this was and the aprox time in the match so I can take a look at it on Youtube?

[neiliog93]

I remember the Noel Reid-NickWilliams tackle more that the latter took the ball charging to the line from 5 metres, full head of steam, and Reid just cut him down dead in his trakcs, didn't give an inch, and even drove him back a metre or two. Try-saving tackle that you wouldn't even expect a forward to make on a fast-moving 120kg Nick Williams.

[Peg Leg]

I remember the Noel Reid-NickWilliams tackle more that the latter took the ball charging to the line from 5 metres, full head of steam, and Reid just cut him down dead in his trakcs, didn't give an inch, and even drove him back a metre or two. Try-saving tackle that you wouldn't even expect a forward to make on a fast-moving 120kg Nick Williams.

I remember it more like George North on Folau. He carried Williams on his shoulder just shy of 30 meters. Just like his dad at Normandy beach landing, he became a real leader that day.

[Peg Leg]

But seriously, the step and pass are not new. The confidence is, the positioning is (big bad trait of his was to always try to make the tackle from the side in the drift defence we used), he seems more comfortable in his technique now and the shooter role suits him because when he's making a hit when the oppo may be more focused on catching/retaining the ball.

[brotheroffrank]

Time to bring this back....

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Can we have a statue of Noel, ROL, Ferg and Dave outside the RDS? They all just love playing for us so much. ROL's passion is actually making me think that Ferg is a bit of a mercenary in comparison.

Noel has been great recently, delighted for him and hope he can keep it up. If we end up at the business end of both competitions then I hope he manages to see some game time in the Pro14 games, fully deserves it.

[curates_egg]

Can we have a statue of Noel, ROL, Ferg and Dave outside the RDS? They all just love playing for us so much. ROL's passion is actually making me think that Ferg is a bit of a mercenary in comparison.

Noel has been great recently, delighted for him and hope he can keep it up. If we end up at the business end of both competitions then I hope he manages to see some game time in the Pro14 games, fully deserves it.