North bid to be fastest ton-up kid hits a bump
GEORGE North’s charge towards becoming the youngest Test centurion of all time is in danger of being stopped by a red light over his red card.
The 28-year-old Lion, stranded two matches short of his 100th since the suspension of the Six Nations almost six months ago, faces a further delay when Wales make their scheduled return to an empty international arena in eight weeks’ time.
North had been on target to make his 99th and 100th appearances against France on October 24 followed by Scotland seven days later, until his sendingoff in Swansea last Sunday. The consequences leave him without a match between now and then.
His four-match ban takes effect from today but the conditions of the punishment mean it will not be completed before Wales assemble for their rearranged autumn fixtures. The disciplinary tribunal’s order of four ‘meaningful’ matches eliminates any pre-season friendlies.
The old season for the Ospreys ends without
North against Cardiff Blues at Rodney Parade this afternoon.
The new one begins in the first week of October which means that North will have played 14 minutes of competitive rugby in almost eight months when Wales return to action for the first time since losing at Twickenham on March 7.
Head coach Wayne Pivac has no shortage of other fit and firing high-class wings, headed by Josh Adams and Liam Williams. Johnny McNicholl, Hallam Amos and Steff Evans will be in contention along with the
uncapped Gloucester teenager Louis ReesZammit and Dragons’ Ashton Hewitt, ironically the airborne victim of North’s ‘dangerous’ challenge last weekend.
A Test player at 18, North would have reached three figures at the end of the World Cup last year but for two factors: his omission from Wales’ last trip to Rome and a pulled hamstring during the heart-breaking semi-final against South Africa in Yokohama which ruled him out of the third-place decider against New Zealand.
But for that he would have smashed George Smith’s record as the youngest century-maker to smithereens. The Australian superstar played his 100th Test two weeks after his 29th birthday.
Ironically, the record is likely to be broken by another Australian before North emerges from his state of suspension. Wallaby captain Michael Hooper, 29 in late October, is one match away from eclipsing Smith by a matter of days but only if the delayed Rugby Championship starts as scheduled on November 7.
North is so far ahead of this particular game that he won’t reach the grand old age of 29 until next April. Despite the enforced inactivity, he will still hope to reach the landmark on or before the tenth anniversary of his debut, against the Springboks in November 2010.
Bryan Habana, the world’s most capped specialist wing, got there in faster time, against Australia in Perth six years ago but at an older age. The turbo-charged Springbok was 31, the same age as Brian O’Driscoll and a year older than Alun-Wyn Jones and Richie McCaw when they completed their centuries.
GEORGIA are set to replace Japan in the proposed Eight Nations tournament drawn up to replace the autumn appearances of the Southern Hemisphere quartet due to Covid-19. Health concerns and inadequate preparation have forced the World Cup hosts to stay at home.
The same issues are also raising renewed doubts over South Africa and Argentina being able to travel to New Zealand for the Rugby Championship.
A SANZAR spokesman said: “As soon as we have something solid, we will let everyone know.’’