George North has returned to the Wales squad after barely two hours of rugby in 13 months, underlining his importance to head coach Wayne Pivac.
In North’s absence since he sustained knee damage playing against Cardiff in April last year, Pivac has used five players at outside centre over 12 games. It has been a merry-go-round in a position which had appeared settled before the Test centurion sustained his injury.
But he is starting to move up the gears again. After coming off the bench for the Ospreys against the Scarlets last month, it needed brick-wall defence to hold him up on the line and he also made a lovely outside break which showcased the pace of the wingman that he has been for most of his professional career. Against the Dragons there was a solid 80 minutes banked, too.
