George North in 10 matches: The rugby life of a Welsh powerhouse

Paris again, and everything on the line. Trailing 16-0 at half-time, the Grand Slam looked to be slipping. North shifted it. First, reacting fastest to a loose ball in the French in-goal area. Then, reading an interception and sprinting 50 metres to score. Wales completed a stunning comeback, secured the title and climbed to number one in the world.

Later that year, at the World Cup, they fell just short – beaten in the semi-finals, as they had been in 2011. North, part of both campaigns, knew exactly how narrow the margins were.