LIONS HEARTACHE FOR WALES STAR

Gatland says news is big blow to the tourists

GEORGE North will need surgery after rupturing his ACL, ending his hopes of a third Lions tour.

The Wales back hobbled off during the Ospreys’ Rainbow Cup victory over Cardiff Blues on Saturday.

It was an innocuous incident as he twisted awkwardly, gathering a loose ball immediately after play had been halted for a knock-on.

And after undergoing a scan on his knee on Monday, the 29-year-old has now learned the extent of his injury, revealing the grim news on social media.

“Sport can be cruel,” tweeted North. “We all know the risks when we take the field.

“Unfortunately I ruptured my ACL on Saturday and will need surgery next week. Heartbroken is an understatement.”

Having made the successful switch from wing to centre during Wales’s Six Nations title triumph this year, North would have been a firm favourite to not only tour with Warren Gatland’s Lions but start the Tests.

However, the need for surgery will end any of hope of that, with the recovery time for a ruptured ACL typically a high number of months.

Gatland is set to name his squad for the tour next week. The Lions take on

Japan in a warm-up match on June 26 and their first Test against South Africa is on July 24.

Gatland said North’s injury was a ‘big blow’ to the Lions.

The Lions coach effectively confirmed North would have been part of his touring squad to face the Springboks this summer as he lamented the loss of the Wales star.

However, Gatland acknowledged North is unlikely to be the only player to pull out between the announcement of the squad and the actual tour itself.

“It’s a big blow for the Lions and a big blow for George as well,” Gatland told BBC Jersey.

“It’s a big loss for George, I feel for him and wish him a speedy recovery and hopefully he can get back to full fitness and get quickly to playing international rugby.

“What he’s achieved in the game’s been brilliant, 100 Tests, the youngest Welsh player to achieve that goal, and hopefully he’s got more rugby in him.

“I’ve always been a great believer once someone misses out that creates an opportunity for someone else.

“We’ve got to realise we’ve got two or three players that aren’t going to make the tour because they’ve got injuries.

“I presume between now and when we get on the plane and fly out to South Africa we’re going to pick up one or two others as well.”

North shone during this year’s Six Nations after switching from wing to centre, a move that Gatland, who handed North his Wales debut back in 2010, had tried on several occasions.

“For a number of years we thought about the potential of him moving from the wing into the midfield and how would he go with that,” added Gatland.

“We’ve seen players in the past, in particular All Blacks players like Tana Umaga and Ma’a Nonu, start their careers on the wing and ended up moving into the midfield for the All Blacks.

“He was looking incredibly promising from the Six Nations and the way he performed.”