After more than 13 years on the international stage North limped out of the 24-21 defeat to Italy with an Achilles injury, unable to stop to slide to a first wooden spoon in 21 years
Even so, Wales Six Nations record try scorer is backing the NextGen of Welsh players to emerge from the current wreckage and once again hit the Grand Slam heights of old in the not too distant future.
You have to go back to the dark days of 2003 for the last time Wales failed to win a game in the Championship. Two years later, they won the first of what has been four Grand Slams in the tournament.
“People don’t always get the fairytale ending they want. With two minutes to go I thought I might have had a chance to take it all in but then obviously stuff happens,” said the 31-year-old North.
“I’m still incredibly proud of what I’ve achieved and how I went about my work. To be able to bow out at home was incredibly special.
“I said all week I’ve been very fortunate to live a dream. The support I’ve had over the years has been incredible and to be able to say ‘thank you’, and to finish my last game at home was incredible – having my friends, family and my boys with me.
“Ideally, I wouldn’t have had those last two minutes. I’d have liked to have replayed that and asked for a mulligan, but this has been the best part of my life and I’ve been very fortunate to do it.”
Diolch George!
The Italian victory, their second in a row in Cardiff, meant they finished their best Championship on a high, handing over the wooden spoon to Wales after eight successive seasons of holding onto it.
“From a performance point of view, we know we can be better than that, it’s gutting. We’ve shown glimpses over the last few weeks, and you obviously want to make your home a fortress. It’s always tough to lose at home.
“We’ve started our rotation cycle a lot earlier than a lot of other nations. The boys know the standard, and Gats and the coaches drive that. But it’s going to take time for us to get there. Ending like we did is not perfect, but unfortunately you have to take the rough with the smooth.
“I told the lads I leave the jersey in safe hands. There are some real positives coming through, some shining lights, but we’ve just got to give them time.
“There is immense talent there, I’ve seen it first-hand, and I don’t think we’re too far away from clicking.”
Gatland offered to stand down after the game, but the WRU CEO Abie Tierney was having none of that. And North doesn’t believe that would be a positive step for Welsh rugby.
“We’re in the results business and the results business waits for no man, but Warren resigning wouldn’t solve much, would it. It would be a headline, a cracking headline, but he knows how to get the best out of boys, especially with where we are,” added North.
“He’s done it before and there is light there. I’ve been impressed with a fair few of the boys and how they’ve gone about their work.
“They’ve now got a great opportunity to forge what they want this team and this next rotation to look like. What an opportunity.
“It’s rubbish at the moment but you have to get through this bit to get to the good bit. Once you know how and win once, you know.”
With reigning world champions South African next on the agenda in June, followed by a two-Test tour to Australia, the immediate future for Gatland and his team looks tough.
“The boys have got time now to go back to their clubs before the summer tour. What a great challenge now for these boys with South Africa not too far away at Twickenham, and then Australia at the end of a long World Cup year.
“This is the experience the boys need to build resilience and robustness in them and to drive forward.”
