George North excited about move back to Wales after five-year stint with Northampton Saints

We spoke to George North about his move back to Wales, his thoughts on Wales' 60-cap rule, and his Movember moustache...

North announced last week that he will be leaving Saints at the end of the season to take up a national dual contract with the Welsh Rugby Union, and though he says he has enjoyed his time at the home of the 2013/14 Premiership champions, he is looking forward to plying his trade in Wales again.

"I've had five good years at Northampton," North told Sky Sports. "I've enjoyed my time here and come on leaps and bounds as a player - I feel like I've developed - but for me the next step is back in Wales.

"I feel that an NDC it gives me the full benefit of being taken care of by the union; they monitor games, they control your time off and your pre-season.

"It allows me to get the best out of myself, so I know when I take the field I am in the best possible place to play my best rugby and to really kick on. I feel that, at 25, there's a lot more to give."

The winger says he has not yet committed to any of the four regions, but will take all the factors into consideration, including recruitment and style of play.

"For me it's a case of sitting down with them all properly, and having a conversation about who's coming and who's going, who they are recruiting, the brand of rugby they're playing, and where I would best fit in with that.

"I think all the Welsh regions are playing a lot more open rugby. Somewhere that I would fit in would be somewhere that would allow me some ball in space to do what I can do."

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The British and Irish Lion says Wales' new 60-cap rule, which dictates that no player can be picked for Wales if he plays abroad and has less than 60 caps, is a good replacement for the previous selection protocol, which allowed Warren Gatland to pick a certain amount of players from abroad.

North said: "I think the first rule with the wildcard system, there was a lot of grey areas and I think the union would admit that as well. There was a lot of toing and froing; 'he made an offer, they made an offer, he's captured, he's not'.

"I think the 60-cap rule is very simple - either you [play abroad] or you don't and it's your decision."

The winger has been out of action since suffering a knee injury in October, so he has not featured in any of Wales' autumn internationals, but is excited about the team's prospects after narrow losses to Australia and New Zealand.

"I feel like we are developing nicely," said North. "We've blooded a few young guys, and a few guys have come back in, we are definitely building in the right direction.

"We're in great shape, we're creating chances, we're just not taking them. I think that's where we really need to push on.

"It showed against the All Blacks; when we got into some shape, when we got into some patterns, we were creating some overlaps. We just have to take the chances, and once we do that we will be in a particularly good place."

Does that mean the 25-year-old would put Wales as favourites against the Springboks?

He said: "As a Welshman, and as a positive Welshman, I would always say yes we are!

"Ideally, to finish the autumn series with a win is better than a loss, but I think the fact that we've shown some good rugby against Australia and New Zealand is also very positive. But finishing an autumn series with a win, you can draw a line underneath it with positivity."

Positive describes a relaxed North well, with the Northampton man spending his time away from the game in aid of a good cause as he grows a Movember moustache.

"I think that over the last three years of me doing it I've progressed nicely into what I would call the Inspector Clouseau moustache, and I think it gives me great depth to my face and a real edge.

"I would say I have got a great moustache, but my girlfriend argues differently," the Welshman laughs.

The facial furniture, which has also been grown by Sky Sports' Scott Quinnell, Sean Fitzpatrick and Alex Payne this month, is in the name of a good cause, says North.

North said: "For me, the key message is that it's men supporting men. Men's health isn't just the physical side of things, it's mental illness and mental health as well.

"From a man's point of view it's helping each other in the bigger picture, all being a part of it for that one month - no matter how silly you look - and all being united together."

George North is a Gillette ambassador, who are working with Movember with the aim to 'Stop Men Dying Too Young, one Mo at a time'. Check out North's donation page here.