GEORGE NORTH has ruled himself out of a possible big-money move to France for the time being, and pledged his future to the Scarlets.
The following report first appeared on the Daily Post web-site - www.dailypost.co.uk
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The giant North Walian winger is rightly considered one of the hottest properties in world rugby having already collected a Grand Slam and 21-caps despite only turning 20 in early April.
With a number of Welsh stars being tempted with a big-money move to France over the past few months and placing their future with the national side in jeopardy, many pundits believe North could well be the next to cross the channel.
However, North, who is a former junior and youth player with Pwllheli, Llangefni and Rhyl, admits he is happy to see out his contract at the Llanelli based region and has no plans to move in the future.
“I’m very happy at the Scarlets, I’m getting game time and playing week in week out and I’m really enjoying it, so I am really happy to stay where I am,” said North, who is preparing for a three Test tour next month to Australia.
“But you never know what is going to happen in the future and when I am out of contract I will only be 22, so I’m still a young pup and I can’t at the moment see myself going anywhere else.”
Prior to last autumn’s World Cup Wales stars James Hook, Lee Byrne and Mike Phillips had already penned deals to move to France, while they have been followed by a raft of players since.
And while North admits he is happy to stay at the Scarlets, he can fully understand the reasons and motivation for such an exodus.
He added: “Rugby is such a physical game that you honestly never know when it is going to be your last game or not, and it is such a short career. The boys have got to make as much money as they can while they can and it’s like any other situation where if you are offered more money to do the same job elsewhere you’d be pretty silly not to go.
“It’s a big decision for the boys in Wales to go over and play in France and hopefully they will come back over at the end of it, but at the moment I am very happy where I am.”
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