Jamie Noon. I’m sorry, I just don’t get it. Successive England coaches have seen something in Jamie Noon that I just seem to miss. When fit, he is a mainstay of the England squad. Even the mighty, messianic Jonno has handed him the number 13 jersey for this weekend’s clash with the Pacific Islands. Now, it seems likely that even had Mathew Tait been available, Noon was a shoe-in at centre. He has after all been preferred to the fit and firing Dan Hipkiss. The question I ask is why?
Yes ok he brings experience to an otherwise callow back line (Paul Sackey excluded) but surely he must bring more than that?
I don’t like to lay into players (after all they are infinitely better than I could ever have aspired to be) but for me, Noon has always been a poor man’s Tindall. Strong, but not quite as strong, robust in defence, but not quite as robust, poor hands, but poorer. The nadir of England back play occurred when Tindall and Noon were paired in the centre together (first under Andy Robinson and then again disastrously against New Zealand during the 2008 summer tour).
Yes, we know that Noon can be a ferocious tackler and that he will give you unstaunching effort for 80 minutes, but as a seasoned International should that not be a given anyway? He is one of those players whom the press like to describe as “unsung” with “yeoman” qualities. I hate the term yeoman. It implies vast expenditure of effort and grit for average returns. A yeoman player is like the horse from 1984, when what England need is the pig.
I can count on one hand the games when Noon has either impressed me playing for England, or made telling, match changing interventions. Most of these have been defensive.
Maybe Jonno thinks England need Noon’s no nonsense (another press favourite saying) defensive style against the big, free running Samoans, Fijians and Tongans on Saturday, but for my money, Dan Hipkiss is just as strong in defence as Noon and yet offers considerably more in attack.
England have selected a gazelle at 6, a coruscating 9, 10, 12 and flying strike runners at 11, 14 and 15. I really, really hope that the thing does not go tilt when the ball reaches 13.
Now I would just like Jamie Noon to prove me completely wrong by bringing balance to the backline flyers and playing a blinder throughout the Autumn, and for Jonno to be vindicated and prove he truly is a demi-god.
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3 Comments
November 13, 2008 at 8:35 pm
In my opinion, people just keep on under-rating Jamie Noon; actually I think that he is “under-used”. I actually think he is a BETTER Mike Tindall. His tackle is just top-notch; and, what I like most about him, is that he is a garanty to reach the gain line, with good strenght and quite good speed and weight. If it´s needed he has the ability to connect with the wings, not great passing or great hands, but cand do the job; and, OK, I´ll face it, his kicking is, well, not good.
This and the experience are the positive qualitys that I think have keept him in the starting XV.
In my opinion Noon is a great player, and should be a first choice outside centre.
November 24, 2008 at 8:15 pm
Jack, is that still your opinion after the matches versus Australia and South Africa?
November 26, 2008 at 9:56 pm
This is what Paul Ackford said after the South Africa game:
“Jamie Noon 4/10
Hardly saw him. For the millionth time, he is not an outside centre and he shouldn’t be there.”