The British & Irish Lions head coach, Warren Gatland, has told George North to “forget about rugby” and concentrate on his long-term health as an official investigation continues into how the Wales wing was allowed to return to the field after apparently been knocked out playing for Northampton last weekend.
Gatland, speaking in Dublin after confirming Andy Farrell, Rob Howley and Steve Borthwick as his three Lions assistant coaches in New Zealand next summer, said the 24-year-old North’s well‑being was far more important than the date he returns to the field. “He needs to forget about playing for Northampton at the moment and Wales in the Six Nations,” Gatland said. “He definitely needs to put himself and his long-term health first and make sure he sees the right people until he does get the all-clear.
“I absolutely understand it’s concerning. He’s had a few knocks in the past and you want to make sure they go through the right process to make sure that, if he does play again, he is fully fit and recovered. And, if he does pick up knocks in the future, it needs to be dealt with and he needs to potentially consider what is the best process for him to go through.”
North was allowed to play on for Wales against England in 2015 after sustaining a heavy head knock, with medics in both cases saying they were unaware he had lost consciousness. Premiership Rugby and the Rugby Football Union are delaying further comment until Thursday but Gatland was less reticent: “I promise you there will be no pressure from me in terms of getting on the field quickly. There’s quite a bit of evidence to show there are potentially long-term effects for people who have taken a number of knocks in contact sport. He needs to consider that … rugby is secondary, his health is the most important thing.”
Gatland, meanwhile, believes the All Blacks are beatable in 2017, having watched them lose against Ireland in Chicago. “They showed a human side – when they are put under pressure they make mistakes,” said Gatland, who steered the Lions to a series victory against Australia in 2013. “Probably the biggest thing we are going to have over an All Black team is we have three or four guys who are going to be better goalkickers.
“If the Lions series comes down to goal-kicking you question them – sometimes they can be 100%, sometimes 50%. We have guys who are capable of regularly kicking over 90%. That is pretty encouraging.”
The head coach defended Howley against claims he is lucky to be chosen as Lions backs coach given Wales’s recent modest performances. “I’ve worked closely with Rob as a player and a coach for a number of years,” Gatland said.
“He gets a lot of criticism in Wales but that’s the worst place in the world for criticism. I look at his record – second in last season’s Six Nations and the last nine times that he’s coached Wales he’s won seven times – and yet he still gets criticised. I’ve a huge amount of time for him and his work ethic.”
Gatland also confirmed he had identified a further attack coach having initially approached Ireland’s Joe Schmidt and Scotland’s Gregor Townsend. He has also spoken to “two or three players” currently outside their national squads, including Danny Cipriani, and said he would be naming only one tour captain.
“The process will be pick the squad first, then the captain,” he said. “A lot of people talk about dual captains but I don’t think we’ll do that.
“Whoever we select it will be a massive honour, but the second conversation is ‘just because you are captain there is no guarantee you’ll be playing in all the Tests.’ It’ll probably be someone doing the captaincy role at the moment.”
Farrell says the frustrating end to his England coaching career following the World Cup has made him even more determined. “Any loss or dent is going to be the same, as a player or a coach. You take everything badly. If you didn’t care, you shouldn’t be there in the first place.
“The World Cup was difficult because it was a home World Cup and you don’t get that opportunity again. But you have to go through experiences like that in life to see if you come through it. I was always super keen to get back on the horse and get going.”
