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George North didn't want to play against Sale today - reports

Wales wing George North

Northampton Saints technical consultant Alan Gaffney has sensationally suggested that George North did not want to play for Northampton Saints in their loss to Sale today.

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Saints lost 34-25 to Sale at home, and North did not play.

Gaffney told BBC Radio Northampton: “I’m just disappointed he wasn’t here.”

Asked if North did not want to play, Gaffney said: “That’s a very difficult question to answer for me. I haven’t spoken to George personally.

“In one sense it’s probably best to ask George. We picked a side that actually wanted to be out on the pitch and picked the best side for the game for Northampton.”

“That’s a very difficult question to answer for me. I haven’t spoken to George personally.

“In one sense it’s probably best to ask George. We picked a side that actually wanted to be out on the pitch and picked the best side for the game for Northampton.”

To add to the intrigue, one Tweeter claimed they spotted North and Scarlets coach Pivac meeting in a pub, suggesting North may be destined to re-sign with the Welsh side.

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https://twitter.com/martp68/status/970005615413219329

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cw 8 hours ago
The coaching conundrum part one: Is there a crisis Down Under?

Thanks JW for clarifying your point and totally agree. The ABs are still trying to find their mojo” - that spark of power that binds and defines them. Man the Boks certainly found theirs in Wellington! But I think it cannot be far off for ABs - my comment about two coaches was a bit glib. The key point for me is that they need first a coach or coaches that can unlock that power and for me that starts at getting the set piece right and especially the scrum and second a coach that can simplify the game plans. I am fortified in this view by NBs comment that most of the ABs tries come from the scrum or lineout - this is the structured power game we have been seeing all year. But it cannot work while the scrum is backpeddling. That has to be fixed ASAP if Robertson is going to stick to this formula. I also think it is too late in the cycle to reverse course and revert to a game based on speed and continuity. The second is just as important - keep it simple! Complex movements that require 196 cm 144 kg props to run around like 95kg flankers is never going to work over a sustained period. The 2024 Blues showed what a powerful yet simple formula can do. The 2025 Blues, with Beauden at 10 tried to be more expansive / complicated - and struggled for most of the season.

I also think that the split bench needs to reflect the game they “want” to play not follow some rote formula. For example the ABs impact bench has the biggest front row in the World with two props 195cm / 140 kg plus. But that bulk cannot succeed without the right power based second row (7, 4, 5, 6). That bulk becomes a disadvantage if they don’t have a rock solid base behind them - as both Boks showed at Eden Park and the English in London. Fresh powerful legs need to come on with them - thats why we need a 6-2 bench. And teams with this split can have players focused only on 40 minutes max of super high intensity play. Hence Robertson needs to design his team to accord with these basic physics.



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