George North

At 32 years old, George North has this physical status:

Club career

North was a junior for Llangefni, Pwllheli, Rhyl, and Gogledd Cymru under the age of 16.

North had played six games for the Scarlets' first team before his international call-up, a record that had been hampered by an injury.

North will sign for Northampton Saints in the English Premiership for more than £200,000, according to a reported fee of over £200,000. This development came after the Welsh Rugby Union reported that Scarlets had attempted to sell North to French clubs, which had been rejected.

In a game that ended 33–14 to Northampton, he scored his first Northampton Saints try against Sale Sharks after some outstanding play by Jamie Elliott to make the score 12–0. On December 14, he scored his first Heineken Cup match for Saints against Leinster Rugby. Northampton defeated Saracens to win the Premiership final, and he got off to a good start.

North scored his 150th point for Saints with a try against Exeter Chiefs in the English Premiership on September 30, 2016.

North was instrumental in Saints winning a European Rugby Champions Cup spot for the 2017-18 season, defeating both Connacht Rugby and Stade Francais in the European Champions Cup play-off games to secure the final spot in the competition for the following season.

The Welsh Rugby Union reported on November 22, 2017, with the WRU contributing 60% and the Welsh region funding the remainder. North's deal with Northampton Saints comes to an end at the end of the 2017-18 season. It had not been decided which of Wales' four Pro14 teams North would sign at the time of the announcement. North will join the Ospreys in the 2018-19 season, according to the WRU on April 25, 2018.

International career

He was selected to the 33-man squad for the Autumn international series after an off-season to the 2010 season. North was named in the Wales team to face South Africa on November 13th, making him the joint-third youngest player to represent Wales after Tom Prydie and Norman Biggs, equal to Evan Williams. North got off to a good start in his international career on November 13th, 2010 when he defeated Wales by two tries against South Africa 29-25 at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. In the match, he set a number of Welsh and international records:

North became a regular fixture in Wales' starting XV after his international debut at the 2010 end-of-year tests. He was not chosen to play for Wales for the majority of the 2011 Six Nations as a coach Warren Gatland had opted for more experienced wingers Shane Williams and Morgan Stoddart, but North was given the opportunity to start on the left wing against France, as Williams was not allowed to play and Stoddart was on the bench.

North was selected as a first-choice winger for Wales after Morgan Stoddart sustained a broken leg during a World Cup warm-up match against England. He started on the left wing of Wales' first Pool D match against South Africa, which they barely lost by a score of 17-16 over the reigning world champions. North got off the wing against Samoa and then came as a replacement in the 55th minute against Namibia, with two tries in the former. He then started against Fiji, scoring a try.

North started on the right wing of Wales' 22–10 victory over Ireland in the quarter-finals. They advanced to France in the semi-finals but fell 9–8, with North again on the right wing.

North continued to play for Wales as a regular starter after the World Cup. Wales defeated Ireland 23–21 in the first game of the 2012 Six Nations, and he continued to start all four of the remaining matches as Wales claimed their first Grand Slam since 2008. As Wales defeated France in their first match away from France since 2005, he continued to play in every minute of the 2013 Six Nations, scoring the only try of the game. Wales had to lose by seven points against England in their final match to win the championship for the first time since 1979.

He was selected as part of the 2013 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia.

North scored the first Lions try vs. Australia on June 22nd in Brisbane; a run from inside the 10-meter line over four players. However, North's celebration was marginally over exuberant, and he later regretted his decision by making a triumphant gesture against Will Genia. The Lions defeated the First Test 23–21.

When running with the ball in the Second Test between the Lions and Australia in Melbourne on June 29, North executed a 'fireman's lift' manoeuvre on Australia's Israel Folau, injuring himself in the process as the Lions defeated the Lions in 16–15 loss.

North scored his 14th international test and his second Lions Test victory as the Lions sealed a 2–1 series win over Australia with a 41–16 victory on July 6, 2013.

North played for Wales during the 2014 Six Nations Championships, beginning with a switch to outside center against France, with Wales hoping that North's size and strength would make him an appropriate opponent against Mathieu Bastareaud, who was starting in the same position as Les Bleus. The scheme worked as Wales defeated 27–6, with North scoring a try after 5 minutes of play.

North played four of Wales' five games during the 2015 Six Nations Championships, with only missing the match against Scotland due to a concussion against England the week before.

North played in all but one of Wales' pool matches at the 2015 Rugby World Cup, Uruguay. Despite North's inability to win, Wales' victories over Uruguay, England, and Fiji, but the loss to Australia in the final pool match, in which North started at outside center, means they finished second in the pool and met South Africa in the quarter-finals at Twickenham. North returned to his on-wing role and played the entire 80 minutes, but Wales lost 23-19.

During the 2016 Six Nations Championships, North scored tries against Scotland, France, England, and Italy.

The winger was chosen in the Wales squad for the Autumn International Games, but after Premiership Rugby decided to invite Welsh players to participate in the first test on November 5, 2016, he earned his 63rd cap for Wales against Australia on that day.

North scored three tries in the 2017 Six Nations, one against Italy on 5 February and a double against Ireland on March 10, making him the joint highest try scorer of the tournament with seven others. His two attempts against Ireland brought his overall number to 32, making him the fourth highest try scorer in Welsh history. This made North the highest try scored of all current Tier 1 international players after New Zealand winger Julian Savea was dropped from the squad for the 2017 Rugby Championship.

The British & Irish Lions selected Northampton's Lawes as a teammate of Courtney Lawes for their tour of New Zealand. North played in three games on the tour, but was forced to return early with fellow injured back Robbie Henshaw after tearing his hamstring, but was recalled early.

North was selected in the Welsh squad for the 2018 Six Nations Championship after missing the 2017 end-of-year tests due to injury. North did not participate in the first week of the tournament, but after recovering from injury, they decided to play against England on February 10, 2018. North knocked Rhys Patchell off the bench against England, who lost 6–12. In the second round of the tournament, North was used as a replacement again before being able to return to his starting position on the right wing for the final two. North's appearance against Italy on March 11, 2018 was his second attempt of the 2018 Six Nations, allowing Wales to defeat Italy 38-14. North's two appearances in the 2018 Six Nations brought his total number to 34. He continued to play in all three tests of Wales' summer tour, scoring a try in the first test against Argentina in San Juan, and three of the four autumn internationals, scoring his 36th test attempt against Scotland and doing well against both Australia and South Africa.

Following North's remarkable return to form after his transfer back to Wales, he was an inescapable pick for Wales' 2019 Six Nations Championship squad, as well as the starting XV against France. Despite a sloppy first half result that allowed Yoann Huget to score in the left corner, North gave one of his best recent appearances in the second half, scoring two goals and winning the Man of the Match award. North defeated Ireland 25-7 in Cardiff, making him the second grand slam champion in his career.

North was part of the Wales squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup, scoring a try in the 76th minute of their match against Georgia.

In the match against England on February 27, 2021, North became the youngest player to play 100 caps for Wales.

North has the most attempts in international rugby for an active player. Shane Williams is Wales' second highest all-time try scorer, behind him.

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