NORTH BLOW FOR DRAGONS & SAINTS

GEORGE NORTH was last night ruled out of Wales’ autumn internationals, continuing his miserable run of injury misfortune.

The Northampton wing, who has been dogged by head knocks in recent years, had his Lions tour shortened by a hamstring tear in June.

And last weekend he collapsed in a heap at Franklin’s Gardens after suffering knee damage in Saints’ Champions Cup thrashing by Saracens. The Wales management hoped it was just a minor knock, but that proved incorrect when a scan yesterday revealed the player has sprained his posterior cruciate ligament.

North, who had been back to his very best in the last month, will spend six to eight weeks on the sidelines.

Bath flanker Francois Louw has been cited for making contact with the eye area of opponent Marco Fuser during his side’s win over Benetton. Fuser is also cited, for biting Louw seconds earlier.