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'Switzerland is a visually beautiful place, but it won't be for us... training has been pretty savage'

By Online Editors
Wales' George North of Wales arrives at training on Saturday at the Vale Resort (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images)

George North believes Wales are in their “best-ever” position and ready to cope with the huge weight of national expectation heading into the 2019 World Cup.

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The European champions head towards that tournament in Japan as the form team in international rugby and only behind New Zealand in the world rankings.

Wales secured the Six Nations Grand Slam with a 14th successive win in March, and Warren Gatland’s side have not tasted defeat since losing to Ireland in February 2018.

“We’re in the best position we’ve ever been in,” North said at Wales’ kit launch for the World Cup. “Historically we’ve always been the underdogs going in. We’ve often struggled with the Six Nations before it, there’s often more to go.

“But the squad’s been in a great place for the last two years. It’s a great mixture of not only young and old players, but a lot of younger players with great experience to push on the older players. It’s quite a settled number and everyone knows what they’re doing.

“The most brutal thing now is cutting down (the squad) from 40-odd to 31 and being ready to go. All we can do now is put our best foot forward and keep slogging.”

Lions star North made his World Cup debut in 2011 when Wales made the semi-finals in New Zealand, agonisingly losing 9-8 to France after captain Sam Warburton’s early red card. The 27-year-old wing or outside centre was also in the Wales side that exited the 2015 World Cup at the quarter-final stage against South Africa.

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Wales’ rise up the world rankings since and the best unbeaten run in their history – Gatland’s men have defeated every side in World Rugby’s top eight except New Zealand since they started their winning burst – has raised excitement levels ahead of the World Cup to fever pitch.

Asked if Wales could meet those expectations, North said: “I think so. If you look at the Six Nations and autumn series we slogged games out when we shouldn’t have. We’ve probably been guilty in the past of not being able to close games out when we should have and they were there for the taking.

“The development of this team has taken a big step forward from going toe to toe and going the extra mile in those last 10 or 15 minutes of games. We haven’t faded away, we’ve been able to push on again and get results when we’ve historically flaked away and lose at the end.”

Wales have been boosted by the return of Bath back-rower Taulupe Faletau, who missed the four-game autumn series clean sweep after breaking his arm in October. The two-time British and Irish Lion then had to sit out the Six Nations after suffering another injury to the same right arm and undergoing further surgery.

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But Faletau and lock forward Cory Hill, who suffered an ankle injury in the act of scoring a try during the Six Nations win against England in February, are back with the squad ahead of a two-week training camp in Switzerland.

“It’s been pretty savage,” North said about the start of Wales’ World Cup training programme. “These early weeks you’ve got to get good volume in your legs and lungs and get in the best position for that last selection.

“We’ve got a tough fortnight in Switzerland, which is visually a beautiful place but it won’t be for us. It will be full-fat milk over there! Then it will be a week back here and into the (warm-up) games against England and Ireland.”

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Trevor 8 minutes ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

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Bull Shark 4 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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