NORTH ON HOW WORLD CUP HEARTACHE DRIVES HIM ON
GEORGE North has lifted the lid on the World Cup pain he is carrying with him through the Six Nations.
The Wales winger is preparing to face England for a 14th time in a fixture which holds more sweet career memories for him than any other.
But it is not those that have North fired up ahead of his return to Twickenham, where he won with Wales in 2012 and 2015 to set up a Grand Slam and England’sWorld Cup exit respectively. North, 27, has drawn instead on the wounding memory of Yokohama four months ago, where a 76th-minute penalty by eventual winners South Africa ended his own World Cup dream.
“We missed out on one step,” said North, “and it will forever kick me in the shin every time I think about it.
“We put heart and soul into it, gave everything physically and emotionally. It takes a while to get over that. Actually, I don’t
A dejected North, left, and Wales team-mates after losing so narrowly in the World Cup semi-finals to South Africa but, right, putting a brave face on it all
DAN BIGGAR has been warned that if he makes it to the start line at Twickenham on Saturday he will be ruthlessly targeted by England.
The Wales playmaker is trying to shake off a knee injury that forced him off for Northampton last weekend and has been limited this week in how much training he has been able to do.
But he was told yesterday by Maro Itoje he will be fair game if Wales think you ever really do. You always carry that hurt as fuel. It’s what gets you up in the morning... to put things right.
“And while I may not get an opportunity to play in another World Cup, what puts fire in my belly is the hope that I will.”
Of his three World Cups this was the one, the big chance. That’s how North sees it.
Wales were No1 in the rankings a month before the event.
They held the Grand
Slam and the national record of 12 straight wins.
“Just ask any professional sports person what they feel like when they’ve had a good prep,” added North. “They’ll say it feels like it’s ‘our time’.
“We were massively proud of what we achieved, and with our form and the playing staff and coaches and momentum that we had I do think it was one of our best chances to win it, if not the best. It wasn’t to be and
decide to risk him in the Six Nations clash. Itoje said: “Dan is a very good player and a big player for Wales and he is their 10 so every 10 is an influential player in their respective team.
“We know that we are going to have to go after him and try to stop him playing his best game.
“If he passed the necessary test to play you assume that he is good there’s a danger, if you focus too hard on that sort of stuff, that you miss what you’re going through now.”
But he admitted: “You can’t let it all go. You need that fire. You’ve always got to keep pushing forward.”
North has been passed fit for Saturday’s clash following his sixth concussion, suffered 11 minutes into the loss to France last time out.
He now has the chance to take his combined cap tally for Wales and the British Lions to 99 with this game and next week’s home closer against the Scots. After that his life changes forever – with wife Becky due to give birth to their first child.
to go.” Biggar was Wales’s hero at Twickenham five years ago when he helped to knock England out of the World Cup with an immaculate goalkicking display.
But after an aggressive defensive performance against Ireland which knocked Andy Farrell’s side out of their stride, England are planning to produce more of the same for Wales.