Mason Grady had played with George North and Dan Biggar years before the youngster made his Wales debut against England. It was more than a decade ago when North and Biggar were youngsters in Warren Gatland’s first spell as head coach and Grady was an eight-year-old moving his heroes around on his X-Box. Now, he is preparing in a squad with both players, to try and prevent a Six Nations wooden spoon by beating Italy in Rome on Saturday.

George North played is front of his son Jac for the first  time, but other than that it was business as usual for Wales against the All Blacks. Jac is two-and-ahalf years old, but he would have to be over 70 by this time next year to remember when Wales last beat New Zealand. His father, now 30, the go-to Ospreys man, a two-times Lions tourist, has played 106 times for Wales – beaten England, Ireland, France, South Africa and Australia – but never the men in black.

By David Williams Leicester Tigers flanker Tommy Reffell is set to make his Welsh senior team debut against South Africa on Saturday’s Test series opener at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium. Bridgend-born Reffell, who helped Tigers win this season’s Gallagher Premiership title at Twickenham, will line up in Pretoria alongside back-row colleagues Dan Lydiate and Taulupe […]

George North will make his first Ospreys start in over a year after being named at outside centre for Sunday’s Welsh derby against the Dragons in Swansea. The Wales centurion made his comeback as a replacement during last Saturday’s victory over the Scarlets. He will be partnered in midfield by Owen Watkin, with Michael Collins shifting to full-back where he is joined in the back-three by Keelan Giles and Alex Cuthbert Up front, Nicky Smith and Tomas Francis line up either side of last week’s URC Player of the Match, Dewi Lake, with the British and Lions pairing of Adam Beard and Alun Wyn Jones in the second row. Will Griffiths, Jac Morgan and Morgan Morris complete the starting pack.

Gareth Anscombe and George North have earned praise from Ospreys head coach Toby Booth after their part in thrashing the Scarlets, 54-36. The Wales pair – who were both on different stages of the comeback road after long periods out injured – helped their side to a victory which keeps alive their Heineken Champions Cup qualification hopes. Anscombe proved he is approaching his best again after two years out with a knee injury, while North played his first match for a year following his own knee problem.

Max Nagy admits he takes plenty of stick from fellow Ospreys George North and Stephen Myler, but at least they no longer look down on him. At 6ft 4in, the rangy full back is the same height as North and five inches taller than Myler, his teammates at the region. But prior to re-uniting this season, Nagy was just a small kid seeking autographs at Flanklin’s Gardens when the three of them were last together.

Wayne Pivac insists if Josh Adams can make the same impact as George North after his move to centre, then Wales will be well served against Ireland on Saturday. Adams will make his first Test match appearance in the centre  in Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations opener after 35 Wales starts as a wing. Adams, who was top try-scorer at the 2019 World Cup, would have featured there in the Autumn Nations Series appointment with Fiji this season, but he suffered an injury during the warm-up and did not start.

Josh Adams has forged himself a reputation as one of the best wings in world rugby, but he is prepared to add more strings to his bow. The Cardiff star has scored 17 tries in 34 Test matches for Wales and is one of the first names on Wayne Pivac’s team sheet. Centre is somewhat of a problem position for Pivac, and while the return of George North for the Six Nations will come as a huge boost, Wales need to develop more options especially in the number 13 jersey.

Heartbroken George North will miss this summer’s Lions tour to undergo knee surgery that will sideline him for at least six months. North was in stunning form as he helped Wales to win the Six Nations last month and his career has been revitalised by a move from wing to centre. The 29-year-old was a virtual certainty to make Warren Gatland’s Lions squad for the Test series with South Africa when it is confirmed on May 6.

George North insists Wales can cope with the sharp end of the Six Nations this weekend and make sure it’s France who get a poke in the eye in Paris. The two countries clash in the final scheduled weekend of the tournament with another Grand Slam on the line for Wales, but with France still capable of going on to claim the title if they deny Wayne Pivac’s men. “We are at the pointy end of the stick now,” said North, who drew level with Shane Williams’ Wales record mark of 22 Six Nations touchdowns at the Stadio Olimpico in the 48-7 win over Italy.

The joy of George North’s 100th cap landmark for Wales will be lined with sadness at his boyhood club. The Wales centre will lead his team out against England today, hoping his celebrations for a century of appearances can inspire the delivery of a Six Nations Triple Crown. But his record-breaking milestone has been put into perspective by the death of a member of his first rugby club.

Wayne Pivac has praised George North’s attitude and appetite as he prepares to win his 100th Wales cap and become a rugby union record-breaker. North will reach a century in Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations clash against England at the Principality Stadium. And at 28 years and 320 days, he will eclipse Australia captain Michael Hooper by four weeks as the youngest player to clock up 100 appearances for their country.