Here are your rugby morning headlines for Wednesday, June 24.
George North reveals retirement call in poignant admission
George North has revealed he decided to retire from rugby despite feeling he could still compete, making the poignant admission that he wanted to leave the game on his own terms after seeing what happened to his friends.
The Wales legend will bring the curtain down on his glittering career when he lines up for the Barbarians against Wales this weekend, having initially feared his final professional appearance had already come and gone.
North, 34, has not played since February for French side Provence and believed injury and circumstance had robbed him of a proper farewell before receiving a surprise call-up from the Barbarians.
While the former Wales wing insists he still feels capable of playing, he says family considerations and a desire to choose his own ending ultimately drove his decision.
“I still feel good, I can still compete, but I’m starting to creak,” North told RugbyPass.
“Mentally I’m in a good spot. But I’m 34 now, I turned professional at 17 and I’ve been on the go ever since. With my young family, I’ve had enough time missing things that were important.”
The 121-cap Welsh international also admitted watching former team-mates and friends have their careers ended prematurely influenced his thinking.
“Enough of my friends have had rugby taken away from them; there’s something quite nice about calling it on my own terms,” he said.
“When I left home at 16, if you’d have said I’d achieve what I have, I’d have thought you were drunk or crazy or crazily drunk. It’s been absolutely incredible.”
North retires as one of the greatest players in Welsh rugby history, having won two Six Nations Grand Slams, toured twice with the British and Irish Lions and scored 47 tries for Wales.
Welsh side announce signing of international giant
Cardiff Rugby have continued their recruitment drive by signing Tonga international Semisi Paea on a long-term contract.
The 27-year-old forward will arrive in the Welsh capital from Moana Pasifika ahead of the new season and becomes Cardiff’s third summer signing following the arrivals of Scott Sio and Le Roux Malan.
Standing at 6ft 4in and weighing 18 stone, Paea brings a formidable physical presence and versatility, with the ability to operate both in the second row and across the back row.
The 10-cap Tonga international has built a reputation for his athleticism and work-rate, having featured for Bay of Plenty, Moana Pasifika and American side New Jersey Free Jacks during his career.
Cardiff head coach Corniel van Zyl said: “We’re really pleased that Semisi is joining Cardiff.
“Semisi’s physicality and work-rate are the standout attributes, but he takes nothing for granted and we were really impressed after meeting him.
“He can slot into the second-row and back-row and has played a good amount of rugby. It’s also clear that his individual goals and values align closely with that of the club.”
Paea made his international debut for Tonga in 2021 and has gone on to earn 10 caps for his country.
He follows a long line of Tongan players to represent Cardiff and says he is relishing the challenge of playing in Wales.
“This is an exciting new chapter in my rugby journey and I am thrilled to be joining such a well-respected club as Cardiff,” he said.
“I’m really grateful for the opportunity and I am ready to give my absolute all for the club.”
Rassie Erasmus pays Henry Pollock ultimate compliment after jibes
Henry Pollock has been compared to Siya Kolisi by South Africa boss Rassie Erasmus in what many will view as the ultimate compliment for the rising England star.
Pollock, 21, heads into England’s Nations Championship clash with the Springboks in red-hot form after producing a player-of-the-match display in Northampton Saints’ Premiership final victory over Exeter Chiefs at the weekend.
The back-row forward has become one of the most talked-about young players in world rugby, with some former South African internationals suggesting he could be targeted when England face the world champions at Ellis Park on July 5.
But Erasmus insists he is only interested in what Pollock produces on the pitch and likened him to Springboks captain Siya Kolisi.
“He’s like Siya,” said Erasmus.
“People make a big deal about certain players, but I don’t always think the players themselves want that attention.
“What counts is what they do on the field, and recently, he’s been doing that. If I were coaching him, I’d only look at his output, and that has been exceptional.”
Kolisi is one of the most respected figures in world rugby and has captained South Africa to two World Cup titles, making Erasmus’ comparison a significant endorsement of Pollock’s impact.
The Springboks coach also warned that England will provide a stern test despite naming a relatively youthful squad for the upcoming clash.
“It’s a very competitive squad and we know we’ll have to work really hard against them at Ellis Park next week if we want to get a win,” he added.
It comes after Pollock insisted he’s not bothered by any ‘outside noise’, and has invited critics from South Africa to “talk all they want”.
Pollock has previously attracted headlines for his confrontational antics with opponents.
“People can talk all they want,” he said. “I have always said in my career, I don’t listen to outside noise, I don’t listen to people’s opinion.
“I am very much locked into my role and my team, and what I need to do for the team and the coaches. And you can have all these opinions about me, and everything like that, but I am just trying to focus on what I do.
“At the end of the day, it’s white noise. It doesn’t matter to me, it doesn’t go into my brain. We’ll win trophies, I guess.”
That shutting out of the critics could well be needed when the youngster faces the Springboks, with many South Africans taking a rather dim view towards his personality.
“He’s a TikTok dancer or whatever he is and he plays a bit of rugby on the weekend,” World Cup-winning flanker Schalk Burger said last year.
He would well receive a frosty reception from the locals at Ellis Park when the to sides face each other in the Nations Championship.
“Er, no,” Pollock added when asked if he knew why South Africans seem to have taken a dislike to him. “They can talk all they want. I guess I keep showing up.”
Promising Welsh talent agrees deal
Promising Ospreys prop Cam Jones has signed a new contract with the region.
The 6ft 4in front-rower, 24, is a product of the Ospreys academy system and has already made 12 senior appearances after progressing through the club’s development pathway.
Jones has also gained valuable experience with Swansea RFC in the Super Rygbi Cymru competition and is regarded as one of the region’s brightest young forwards.
Confirming his new deal, Jones said: “This is my hometown club so I’m really happy to be staying here. I came through the academy here and have come a long way since then, so it’s great to have the opportunity to continue my career here.
“The next step for me now is to keep pushing on and get as much time in the black jersey as I can next season.”
Ospreys head coach Mark Jones believes the young prop has the potential to develop into a top player.
“Cam is a player we have high hopes for as a coaching staff,” said Jones.
“He has all the potential to be a top-quality player and if he can push on and take those next steps, I have no doubt that he will achieve that.”
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