Peter Jackson column: Is George North’s new deal really such a delight?

George North proclaims himself “massively delighted” to be extending his stay at Northampton beyond this season. Head coach Jim Mallinder, a down-to-earth Yorkshireman, contents himself with being merely “delighted” – no more, no less.
All that delight sloshing around Franklin’s Gardens makes it a trifle awkward to sound a discordant note but, in the relentless pursuit of truth, it must be sounded. Suffice to say that come this time next year any combination of Northampton, Premier Rugby Ltd and Wales, or conceivably all three, are liable to be decidedly non-delighted.
As an exercise in telling their customers as little as possible about one of the big-name players they pay to see at the Gardens, Northampton’s statement on North’s new contract was so chockful of delight there was no room left to let anyone know how long he would be staying for.
Maybe they just clean forgot, a nice thought in deference to the onrushing advent of the season of goodwill. Maybe, and this is more likely, they remembered what happened last time and how much it cost them to release the Boy George for Wales duty.
Premier Rugby Ltd fined Northampton £60,000 for breaking the rule that prohibits non-English internationals being released from Premiership duty for a Test match falling outside the agreed autumn window. Wales-Australia this very weekend two years ago fell into that category and the Saints paid a hefty fine for their cardinal sin. The sum consisted of three smaller fines – £20,000 for each year of North’s contract.
Northampton described the punishment as “a one-off” which, in light of the new deal, will be nothing of the kind unless the club have altered the player’s release agreement.
The next out-of-window Test for Wales is against South Africa on November 26, 2016. Assuming North still has full release for all international commitments and that he is still an automatic choice for Wales in 12 months’ time, then the Saints will fall foul of their own club organisation.
If found guilty of a serial offence, they would face a stiffer penalty. The length of the contract would determine the exact amount but then everyone at the Saints is too delighted to be able to say anything of the timescale.
And if North in his negotiations has relented on the full-release clause to get his employers off the hook, then his part-time employers will have a vested interest. In that event Warren Gatland, for one, will want to know why.
A lot can happen in 12 days never mind 12 months but Welsh insistence on packing four matches into every autumn leaves them in danger of being unable to call on any of their English-based personnel against the Springboks, a list that will include two additions in Jamie Roberts and Luke Charteris to the usual suspects.
North’s immediate concern, for club and country, is to start playing again the way he used to.
A blank against Gloucester on Friday night takes his run without a try to eight matches.