ON SATURDAY August 23, George North was sent off for a dangerous tackle during Ospreys’ home draw against the Dragons. The following week a PRO14 disciplinary tribunal suspended him for four ‘meaningful’ matches.
That eliminated him from the last match of the old season (Cardiff Blues, away) and the first two of the new one (Edinburgh, away, Ulster, home). The next ‘meaningful’ match would have sent Wales to Paris on October 24 without their superstar Lion.
That, in turn, would have left him seriously short of match fitness for the concluding Six Nations fixtur...