Stop us if you can, George North tells England
Back in title contention after the Dublin debacle, the Six Nations champions followed their record post-war win over France with immediate notice of their intention to beat the old enemy for the third time in a row.
George North, whose early try set Wales off to their biggest victory against the French since 1931, said: “We’re back to our best form. We’ve done everything we can to put ourselves back into the title race.
“Now that we’ve given ourselves a real chance of getting back into it, we will push on hard from this win. We don’t need anyone to tell us that Twickenham is a very difficult place to go.
“The Welsh way has always been to front up. After the Irish match we probably needed as kick up the back- side to get us back to where we should be.”
At Twickenham North is due to go head-to-head against his Northampton team-mate, England centre Luther Burrell. “I’m going to text him and tell him I’m coming for him,” North said. “It’s all a bit of fun and good to see him getting his chance in the England jersey.”
North, reinforced by a perfect championship record against England of two wins from two matches, marked his first full match in midfield with his 18th try in 41 Tests and he’s still not turned 22.
“I keep on forgetting I’m still only 21,” North said. “A few of the boys call me ‘The Man Child’ . People talk about the players who have gone before and what they did for the jersey. I want to do the best I can to put pressure on whoever takes over from me after I’ve finished.”
A few months ago in Dublin North and Burrell combined with devastating effect as a centre pairing for Saints in their Heineken Cup win over Leinster. That day they complemented each other’s strengths, but this time they will be probing for weaknesses.
North is ready to play in the centre again. “If needs be, and we are struggling again,” he said. “ I like play- ing on the wing, but we’ll have to see what the gaffer says.
“On the wing I am having to read what No 13 is doing, but when you are in the centre you have to make some reads yourself and let the wing read off you. Play- ing against Fofana and Bastareaud isn’t the easiest task, and there were a few mistakes, but for my first run out I was pretty happy.”
On Burrell, North added: “The great spirit we have at Northampton means we can have a laugh and joke and one of the things I have been really happy with it the fact they have really adopted me and I feel a part of the squad.
“Playing England away comes with different challenges. We will have a couple of days to regroup and regather, do some homework and then get back into it.”
North then revealed how a no-holds-barred inquest into their pasting by Ireland goaded Wales into generating the controlled fury behind their pack’s demolition of France as spearheaded by the captain who ought to have been man-of-the-match, Sam Warburton.
“Gats never holds back,” said North. “He’ll speak the truth and tell you what he’s feeling. A lot of the boys responded to that after some serious words were said.
“There was a lot honesty spoken and that showed in the way we came out firing on all cylinders. He just asked me to put my stamp on the jersey – and warned me not to mess up.”
PETER JACKSON
