Is George North one of Wales’ greatest rugby players ever? I certainly think so: Paul Williams column

The end of the 2026 season will see the curtain fall on George North’s career and it will have to be a bloody big curtain to cover it and him.

His career numbers are incredible – 121 Caps (third most for Wales), 47 International Tries (eighth highest of all-time), four Six Nations, two Grand Slams and three British & Irish Lions Tests.

But none of those stats can be fully understood without digesting his core physical stats. At 6ft 4inches tall, anywhere from 16.5 stone to 17 stone 5lbs (depending on the season) and a 40-metre time that would could rival a remote-controlled car – he was purpose built for modern test rugby.

Whilst the Kiwis had already launched Jonah Lomu 15 years previously, and various other nations were dabbling with oversize wings (Nemani Nadolo, Wendell Sailor etc.), North was Wales’ first modern ‘freak’ wing. The sort of players who are once in a generation, genetically.

To see North wandering around in public is to witness what a breeding program between a T-Rex and a homo sapien would truly result in.

George North’s immediate rise to the top

His impact on rugby was immediate. There was no slow build up, no conversations about him needing to ‘learn the game’.

He was the definition of “if you’re good enough, you’re old enough”. Or perhaps more accurately “if you’re good enough, fast enough, massive enough, and really enjoy running over people enough, you’re good enough”.

Perhaps one of George North’s less well-known attributes was his aggression. Being so affable and jovial on TV hid an aggressive core that could be called upon when required.

Wales winger George North races through the challenges of Pierre Spies (l) and Francois Steyn during the International match between Wales and South Africa at Millennium Stadium on November 13, 2010 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

In one of his first games of pro rugby, he scored a try in the right-hand corner of the field, where two defenders landed on his back – late. He was annoyed. He stood up, pointed at both in sequence and said “You’re f’ing having it, then you’re ‘f’ing having it next” – he’s was barely 18 years of age.

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As unique as North’s physical attributes were, so too was his running style. Large, long strides and a high knee lift, were fused with delicate micro-steps (in contact). Which left defenders with a real dilemma.

Do you go high and try and take the ball, or do you go low and face getting a massive knee to the face? Even if you did manage to get your arms around him initially, you had to keep them secured around quads and glutes which looked like something from a well-nourished Belgian Blue.

Then there was the fend. If you did fancy trying to stop him ‘up top’, you then got a fend which automatically sent you backwards – try tackling a unit like that whilst in reverse. Worse still, the fend could take you directly to the floor and from there to You Tube – where the indignity lasts for eternity. 

Excelling for club, country and Lions

North’s club and Wales career was exceptional. His performances for the Scarlets, Northampton Saints and the Ospreys are littered with highlights – as were his displays for Wales.

But what makes him truly a great is his work for the British and Irish Lions. Some players go on Lions’ tours, and their exploits are largely forgotten entirely, or diluted over time. That is not the case for North. North’s highlight reel for the Lions is exceptional and up there with the greatest tourists of all time.

To see him making a linebreak for the Lions’ is like seeing an actual Lion escaping the secure perimeter in a safari park – with the ensuing panic being at a very similar level.

Then of course there is the iconic moment of North turning Isreal Folau into a fashion accessory. To this day, rugby hasn’t seen another ball carrier lift a sizable defender, pop them over their shoulder, then continue to carry the ball – it was the day Israel Folau, turned into a Louis Vuitton.

Perhaps North’s most under-appreciated career attribute was his transition from a pure wing to an outside centre – something which many wings struggle with a test level.

Plenty said he couldn’t play there (due to the increased defensive requirements of the 13 channel) but they were all wrong. North looked every inch the 13, as he did a wing. His defensive record for Wales in the 13 channel was exemplary – especially as it came at a time when fullbacks were once again beginning to attack the line and play as a third distributor. 

If there was ever a small shadow over North’s career, it was never his skill or ability, it was his susceptibility to concussions.

At times it was genuinely heart breaking watching his concussive issues get worse. I genuinely thought, and wrote, that maybe he should have retired early to avoid any of the very serious problems which concussion can create. Especially when seemingly innocuous micro knocks on the ground turned into very serious blackouts for North.

But hopefully, with the right long-term care, George can avoid the worst of it. 

There have been many great Welsh players in the post 2000 ish era. 2005 to 2019 was arguably Wales’ greatest period – the equal of the 1970s. And there are about 30 players who had sumptuous careers during this period. But the big question that many will ask, is where does North rank in the list of Wales’ modern greats?

So here is my answer (please don’t burn my house down or scratch my car).

The 10 best Welsh players since 2000:

1. Alun Wyn Jones
2. Sam Warburton
3. Adam Jones
4. Taulupe Faletau
5. Shane Williams
6. George North
7. Gethin Jenkins
8. Jon Davies
9. Leigh Halfpenny
10. Jamie Roberts

Many will disagree with the ordering of the list, and some may question why North is quite so high. But the reason is because he defined much of the Gatland era and the success that came with it. North was ‘big rugby’ in all its beauty. 

North’s retirement ends a glorious individual career and smothers the final embers of Wales’ glory years in the 2010’s. Congratulations George, you were a joy to watch dude.

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