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George North will retire at season's end, closing a remarkable career that made him one of Wales' greatest modern rugby players.

George North will retire from professional rugby at the end of the season, bringing down the curtain on one of Welsh rugby's most decorated modern careers.

North, who turned 34 this month, stepped away from international rugby in 2024 after earning 121 caps for Wales and scoring 47 tries, a tally bettered only by Shane Williams in the men's game. Across 14 years in red, he helped Wales win four Six Nations titles, including two Grand Slams, and became one of the defining figures of his era.

He announced his decision on social media, saying it felt like the right time after living out his childhood dream and sharing dressing rooms with elite players and coaches.

North's rise was immediate and remarkable. At just 18, he scored twice on debut against world champions South Africa in 2010, becoming Wales' youngest-ever try scorer. A year later, at the 2011 Rugby World Cup, he became the tournament's youngest try scorer, the first sign of a player who would go on to break records with regularity.

His achievements stretched beyond Wales. North toured twice with the British and Irish Lions, in 2013 and 2017, playing three Tests and scoring two tries. At club level, he starred for Scarlets, helped Northampton Saints win the Premiership and European Challenge Cup in 2014, then later returned home with Ospreys before finishing his career in France with Provence.

There were setbacks, particularly a series of concussion concerns that prompted wider debate around player welfare, and a ruptured Achilles suffered in his final Wales appearance against Italy in March 2024. Even so, North's standing in Welsh rugby remains secure.

Few careers combine longevity, power and consistency quite like his. Wales have produced many great finishers, but North was more than that, a player who carried defenders, carried expectations, and often carried his side.