Rugby: North gives Wales a giant edge

George North will be keen to make a dent out wide. Photo / Getty Images

Every so often, George North could be forgiven for taking a moment to give himself a pinch when he considers his journey over the past year.

Back then school exams were more likely on his mind; now he's Wales strapping right wing at the World Cup, and, at 19, hinting that he could be on track for a place among Wales' best backs in the years ahead. After playing only six regional games, North was picked for his debut against South Africa last November.

He had a try inside the first 10 minutes, and got another in a match Wales could have won, from 17-6 up, before falling away in the second spell to lose 29-25.

In eight tests, he has scored six tries, and at 1.92m and 110kg he's a solid lump of a lad. "It's been all right," he said in an understated way of his first year of international rugby.

"It's a decent start for me and hopefully I can continue the form now and keep going, like."

North could have been playing for England, the country of his father's birth. North jnr was born in Norfolk but moved to Anglesey, the island on the northwest coach of Wales when he was two.

With little veteran Shane Williams and his dancing feet on the left wing, the pair are Wales' odd couple wide men. Williams, with 54 tries in 81 tests, is the Welsh recordholder. At 34, this will be his last cup dance; North is the face of the future.

The biggest lesson to absorb from his first year - which included a test against the All Blacks last year - has been the pace of the game. "Everything happens a lot faster. You've got to get your head straight before going on the park. Everyone's got their own battles; everything's a challenge."

With his size, it would seem logical that Wales would try to make use of his strength rather than leave him twiddling his thumbs away from the action for too long.

"I guess gone are the days when you stand on the wing and admire everything," he said. "I enjoy getting in the game. I set myself targets and if I don't go through with them I don't feel I've done the best I can."

North is up against Bryan Habana tomorrow. The pair squared off on North's debut, he makes no secret of his admiration for the Springbok flier - "you always want to test yourself against the best; it will be a great experience" - and knows that while he may have caught them napping a year ago, there's no chance of sneaking beneath the South African radar tomorrow.

Told that he seemed to be making a decent fist of bagging tries thus far, North laughed: "Don't say that," he laughed, fearing a jinx.

"Yeah it's going well. But that's my job at the end of the day. If I'm not doing my job I'm not going to get picked."

One of the goals he sets himself before any game is to get on the scoreboard. On that count he's proving just the ticket for Wales.