George North: Wales legend carried ‘horrible weight’ of concussion debate

The Welsh club game is also facing a major overhaul with the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) in a consultation period for controversial plans that threaten to cut the number of professional men’s teams from the current four of Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets to two.

The Welsh Rugby Players Association (WRPA) has said the proposals for the elite game would “drive talent to leave Wales”.

North, who had spells at Scarlets and Ospreys, said: “In a perfect world we’d have four regions, but is it sustainable? Probably not at the moment.

“Whether we go to two or three, we probably need a change to rejig the system, to start the ball rolling again.

“When you’re winning it covers the cracks. There were issues that I was hearing when I first got capped, and those same issues were circling in different formats by the end of my career.

“I get asked all the time about having a team in north Wales and, obviously, as a passionate north Walian, I would always say ‘100%’.

“But I think the bigger picture is we have to do what’s right for Welsh rugby, and to get the national team back at that level where we’re performing and competing.”