Rieder is ready for next chapter with club

A THIRD Wasps forward has this week committed his future to the club by signing a new contract.

Back-rower Alex Rieder has joined Tom Cruse and Ashley Johnson in opting to extend his stay at the Ricoh beyond the end of the current season.

The popular 26-year-old has spent three seasons with Wasps after spells in the Championship with Yorkshire Carnegie and Rotherham.

And as rugby director Dai Young acknowledged, he has made steady progress during that time, despite his opportunities being limited by the string of internationals ahead of him in the selection queue.

“Alex never lets us down and he carries the ball as strongly as anyone else,” he said. “He’s also added to his game, improved his defence, improved his work rate and now has a good balance in his game and really fits in with the way we play.

“I still don’t think we’ve seen the best of Alex – unfortunately, he’s injured at the moment – but there’s more to come from a player who never let us down on the field.”

Rieder is delighted to extend his stay at Wasps, where he says he feels very at home.

“Wasps are one of the biggest clubs in Europe, with an incredible history,” he said.

“It’s a privilege to be able to pull on the Wasps’ shirt each time you’re selected.

“I have really enjoyed my time here, training and playing alongside quality players and international stars. The talent we have in the squad makes it an exciting place to be.

“It’s a nice environment to work in and my girlfriend and I have been made to feel very welcome by everyone at the club and the fans, who make Wasps so special.

“Their dedication and love of the club is felt by all the players and it’s an honour to be a part of that.”

Since making an explosive debut by being named BT Sport’s man-of-the-match during Wasps’ first win at Northampton in a decade in January 2016, Rieder has appeared across all three back row positions.

And according to his boss, he should now be viewed as an integral member of the squad rather than a back-up performer.

“No-one can play 30 games at that level of rugby through the season, the game’s too tough,” Young said.

“So you certainly need options, but rather than number ones and number twos in each position, I want two quality players in each.

“You can then pull one in and give somebody a rest and so on throughout the season, then when you get to big games you select whoever’s playing best at the time.

“Alex is somebody I believe will play a lot of rugby for us, and I don’t see him as a squad player, I see him as a first team regular.”

Kyle Eastmond has finally shaken off his nasty Achilles injury and will make his first Wasps appearance in nine months today against Newcastle.

England centre Eastmond has been sidelined since February, enduring a frustratingly protracted recovery after rupturing his Achilles tendon. Now the 28-year-old playmaking centre will return to action to ease Wasps’ injury concerns.

Gaby Lovobalavu has beaten a calf issue and Kearnan Myall an ankle problem, leaving Young pleased to see players back on their feet.

“It’s great to have three more players back from injury and we’re looking forward to seeing them in action as they start to build match sharpness,” said Young.

“We’re hoping to get back to somewhere near full strength over the next month, which will be a real boost.”