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Pro D2 club makes signing George North its top priority – report
By Liam Heagney
Wales’ George North reportedly visited a French tier-two team in midweek with a view to signing for the 2024/25 season. Promotion-chasing Provence, the club that snapped up the services of veteran Jimmy Gopperth for their 2023/24 Pro D2 campaign, are currently in second place heading into this weekend’s round 11 fixtures.
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With coach Mauricio Reggiardo set to extend his contract, plans are in motion to bolster the squad for next term and rugbyrama.fr reported that North, the current Ospreys player, visited Aix-en-Provence in midweek to check out the club’s facilities and meet with its directors.
A report read: “Currently second in Pro D2, Provence are also very active in the transfer market and are working hard to secure the services of Welsh star, George North. The Aix-en-Provence leaders want the great momentum set in motion by their club in this 2023/24 season (six wins, two draws and two defeats) not to be reduced to a flash in the pan.
“To do this, they are ambitious and very active in the transfer market, working to sign high-quality players for next season. Their priority? It’s a big one because it concerns no less than North, the iconic centre of Wales and the British and Irish Lions.
“According to our sources, the 31-year-old centre, who has 118 caps for Wales, visited the club’s facilities in midweek and met with its directors. It’s an additional step that shows the rapprochement between the two parties because the contacts are not new.
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Voici la liste de nos 23 guerriers Provençaux qui iront affronter le @SMR_Rugby !
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? Retransmission sur RUGBY+ pic.twitter.com/4H1CWO4zn7— Provence Rugby ??? (@ProvenceRugby) November 16, 2023
“We reported on September 18 that North’s contract with the Ospreys would expire in June 2024 and that Provence had already positioned itself. If Provence’s directors were to lure North into their nets, he would certainly be the star recruit of the entire Pro D2 championship because his sporting CV is as long as his arm.
“He is third youngest Welshman to become an international, scoring a brace against South Africa in his first cap. He went on to win four Six Nations championships, including two Grand Slams, participated in four World Cups as well as two British Lions tours. At club level, he won the English league and Challenge Cup.”
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The writer here ignores the fact that, following on from not taking the penalty kick, the All Blacks did manage to score a try a few minutes later. Not directly from the penalty awarded, but it is speculation to say that had they opted to take the koi they would have won. Even if they kicked it, which was no guarantee, they would still be trailing and would have had to start again at half-way.
Go to commentsI would be surprised if Sales Opoku Fordjour and Northampton’s Tommy Freeman are not in the team, Anthony Watson is also one that could go on the wing. One thing I must say is that the front 3 will get destroyed against a team like South Africa.
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