Noone can’t wait for Leigh showdown

Feb 21 2008 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

WIDNES Vikings second rower Paul Noone says he can’t wait to tackle table toppers Leigh Centurions on Sunday after undergoing one of his most stressful weeks as a professional.

Noone has been through the mill the past 10 days after his grand-father passed away days before Widnes’s home defeat to Leigh two weeks ago and then his wife gave birth to the couple’s first child Sadie.

And now the Widnesian just wants to get back to what he does best and play rugby.

“It’s been a weird two weeks for me, emotionally,” Noone said.

“First my granddad passed away on February 12 and then my daughter was born on the 13 and that sort of eased the pain of losing my granddad who was very close to me.

“It’s been a real rollercoaster of emotions for my family and I but now I just want to get out and play rugby. I was going to play against Barrow before the game was called off and I have been made to wait to the Leigh game and I can’t wait.”

Noone also paid tribute to his coach Steve McCormack who gave him the time off to be with his family.

He said: “Steve McCormack has been absolutely brilliant with me. He gave me the time off I needed to get things straight and be with my family and I won’t forget that. He’s been tremendous.”

Noone is under no illusions to how tough a test this weekend’s Northern Rail Cup clash with Leigh Centurions is after the Leighers put the Vikings to the sword at Stobart Stadium.

He said: “When we played Leigh last time it was clear that we needed a bit of experience in there to get us home. The lads that played did a brilliant job and put loads of effort in but we needed that bit extra.

“Leigh had the likes of Dennis Moran, Andy Hobson and Toa Kohe-Love in there and we were missing the likes of Iain Morrison, Lee Paterson and myself and we just might have made a difference in the late stages of that game.”

Noone says Sunday’s game at Hilton Park could is crucial for Widnes’ progression to the latter stages of the cup: “It’s important that we get the result for a number of reasons. We are the holders and we want to defend if but we want to top the table and get some good results under our belts in preparation for the new season. It will be a very tough game and extra physical but the lads are ready.”