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Northampton's George North receives treatment for a head injury after scoring a try against Wasps at
Northampton's George North receives treatment for a head injury after scoring a try against Wasps at Franklin's Gardens. Photograph: Action Images
Northampton's George North receives treatment for a head injury after scoring a try against Wasps at Franklin's Gardens. Photograph: Action Images

Northampton keep George North on sidelines while Wasps consider appeal

This article is more than 8 years old
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Northampton could not confirm on Wednesday when George North will return to action. The Wales wing will miss the European Champions Cup quarter-final at Clermont Auvergne on Saturday as he continues neurological tests after suffering three concussion injuries since the autumn.

Jim Mallinder, the director of rugby at Northampton, said North was making good progress since he was carried off in last Friday’s Premiership home match against Wasps. This follows similar injuries sustained against the All Blacks last November and England at the start of the Six Nations. Mallinder stressed that until North is cleared by specialists he will not be considered for selection.

His latest injury has intensified the debate over how to treat concussion in a season when Leigh Halfpenny, Geoff Parling and Mike Brown are other leading players to be stood down. Apart from putting North on the sidelines, the incident last Friday has created plenty of debate after Nathan Hughes, the Wasps No8 who was sent off for sliding into the wing after he had scored a try, was banned for three games including Sunday’s Champions Cup quarter-final at Toulon.

Wasps will announce on Thursday if they are to appeal. Mallinder believes the incident was a red-card offence because North was diving for the tryline before Hughes ran into the wing.

Wasps’ players have defended the Fijian forward. Their captain James Haskell said via Twitter that “astounded would be an understatement.” Andy Goode, the veteran fly-half, described the decision as “shocking”. Wasps have also been supported by Joe Marler, the England and Harlequins prop, who said the decision was “an absolute joke”.

Mallinder refused to enter into a debate over the comments but did launch a defence of the club’s medical care following calls from experts, led by Barry O’Driscoll, the former International Rugby Board medical adviser, to have North stood down for the rest of the season.

Mallinder said North had been treated quickly by two doctors plus a number of physiotherapists. “We have to look after him,” he said. “We have to make sure the medical experts are happy and satisfied he is fit to return to play. As soon as they say he is fit to play we will be happy to pick him again. We always listen to the experts.

“There has been lots of opinion over the last few days in particular but we have to be careful that we don’t blow things out of proportion. It’s a tough game – George has said that himself – and we are always going to have incidents and player welfare will always come first.”

Mallinder said North was improving and added: “We won’t play him at the weekend. He clearly had a nasty knock and it was unfortunate.”

Wasps were debating whether to launch an appeal last night following the club receiving the report of Tuesday’s disciplinary case. Dai Young, the Wasps director of rugby, claimed after the match that nothing would have been done if North had not been injured.

The Rugby Football Union’s disciplinary report revealed that the referee, Craig Maxwell-Keys, and his assistants did not see the North incident in “real” time. In his report, Maxwell-Keys, who joined the Premiership panel in the last 12 months, said he made his decision after watching replays on the big screen at Franklin’s Gardens.

He wrote: “Having viewed the replays I believed that by placing his boot/leg into this position after a try had already been scored he was being reckless and running a risk in terms of player safety.”

Hughes said he had already committed himself and tried to stop but ran into North as he scored. He added he had “freaked” when he realised North was injured.

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