STAR NORTH IN SHOCK RETURN TO WELSH RUGBY
North heading back to Wales after quitting Northampton
GEORGE North will return to Welsh rugby next season on a Welsh Rugby Union National Dual Contract... but with the region he will join yet to be decided.
The Wales and Lions winger is out of contract at Northampton at the end of this term and it’s been revealed he will be heading home.
He has been with the Saints since 2013, having joined them from the Scarlets, but is now set to return from England in what will be a major boost for Welsh rugby.
It’s yet to be confirmed which region the 69-cap winger will join.
Under a NDC, 60 per cent of a player’s wages are paid by the WRU and 40 per cent by his region.
Sam Warburton, Alun Wyn Jones, Jonathan Davies and Leigh Halfpenny are among the highest-profile players on NDCs.
The 25-year-old North is currently sidelined with a knee ligament sprain which ruled him out of the autumn international campaign, but should be fit for the Six Nations.
Commenting on his move home, he said: “As a proud Welshman, I’m excited to be heading back to Wales and to have signed a NDC.
“I feel that the time is right and the opportunity to sign a NDC, with the benefits that come with it and the support it provides from the national squad set-up, was a great option for me.
“This has been an incredibly hard decision.
“Saints have developed me as a player and stuck by me through thick and thin, so it is with a heavy heart that I have decided to move on.
“I love playing for Northampton Saints and am excited by the potential of the squad that is being assembled but, as a proud Welshman, I felt that now is the right time to move back home despite the compelling offer Saints made me.
“I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to be part of Northampton Saints last four years and I have loved every minute of my time there.
“I am excited to see what we can achieve this season and I will be putting everything I have into helping the squad fulfil our potential this year.
“I would like to thank the squad, coaches, medical team, support staff and especially all of the supporters who have made my time at Northampton Saints so memorable.”
Wales coach Warren Gatland said: “It’s fantastic George is returning to Wales on a NDC.
“Just 25 years old, he is in his prime and will flourish on a NDC.
“It’s great for the game here in Wales and we will work with George in coming months to determine which region has best playing environment to suit him.”
Northampton director of rugby Jim Mallinder said: “While we are disappointed to lose a player of George’s quality we respect and understand his decision to move back to Wales to be closer to home.
“He will leave with our full support and best wishes for the future.
“I know how difficult a decision this has been for George, but in the end the emotional pull of settling back in Wales outweighed his desire to remain in Northampton and we respect that.
“I remember him joining the club almost five years ago as someone with an enormous talent and potential to be a really top-class international.
“Since then he has developed into a world-class player and a very popular
member of the club. He’ll be greatly missed both on and off the field.
“I have no doubt that for the rest of the season George will put all his energy into firstly rehabilitating from his current knee injury as quickly as possible and then ensuring Saints have a strong second-half of the season.”
Saints chief executive Mark Darbon added: “The club remains focussed on recruiting and retaining top-quality talent and we made an appropriate offer for George to stay.
“We have Dan Biggar joining us next season, and have plans to further strengthen our backline, and the squad more broadly, over the coming months.”
North made a total of 80 Saints appearances scoring 35 tries. In his first season, the wing collected Premiership and European Champions Cup winners medals. North was also toured Australia with the British & Irish Lions in 2013 and again in New Zealand in 2017.
Cardiff Blues were the first region to publicly throw their hat into the ring for North, expressing an immediate desire to have the 25-year-old on board.
Chief executive Richard Holland said: “We would be 100 per cent interested in having George North with us on a NDC. He is a proven quality player.”
A player’s region of origin has first call on him in the event of a NDC and in North’s case that is the Scarlets, who he spent three years with before moving to Northampton.
But their coach Wayne Pivac has indicated they would not be interested in recruiting the winger.
They have a number of youngsters coming through in the position, while they are wary of having too many NDC players as they are away with Wales for large chunks of the season.
It’s likely the Ospreys would be interested in North, as wing has been something of a problem for them in recent years amid injury issues.
And the Dragons would doubtless love to add another high-profile player to their ranks along with back rower Ross Moriarty, who looks set to join them from Gloucester.