George North insists new teammate Michael Paterson will have no problem slotting in at Northampton Saints – even if the former Sale Sharks lock does have big boots to fill at Franklins’ Gardens.
After two seasons with the Sharks, the New Zealand-born forward heads south to join up with 2014 champions and last year’s table-toppers Northampton Saints.
The 30-year-old has been brought in to offset the departure of influential forward Samu Manoa, who has joined French side Toulon.
A key part of Saints’ Premiership winning side two seasons ago, Manoa will certainly leave a hole in the side, although North believes Paterson can step up to the plate.
In with a shout of being in contention for a Six Nations place with England in 2014 before having to undergo knee surgery, Paterson returned to action for Sale in the closing stages of the season.
And while the likes of current Northampton Saints duo Jon Fisher and Sam Dickinson will be sure to provide Paterson will plenty of competition, North insists Paterson can cope with the pressure.
“We’ve got a few people leaving, Samu leaves some very big shoes to fill, especially with his physicality,” said North, speaking as Land Rover unveiled an official Rugby World Cup mascot as part of Land Rover’s ‘We Deal In Real’ campaign that aims to put grassroots rugby on the global stage.
“But we have some good players here already who can step up, people like Jon Fisher and Sam Dickinson and then there’s Michael Paterson is coming in from Sale.
“I think he’ll have no problem fitting in, with the type of player and quality of player he is. He’s played well for Sale and he’s only going to strengthen the side. It’s great competition to have at the club.
“It was the first time in the club’s history we had finished top of the league last season. There were highs and lows but looking at results, I don’t think we need to change that much for next season, we were not that far off.”
North will not get a chance to line up with his new teammate for a while yet though, with his attentions turning now towards helping Wales to success in this year’s World Cup.
Wales have been drawn in the same group as England although North insists any thoughts of a revenge mission between the two after the Red Rose’s Six Nations win in Cardiff is not the main focus, with the group also made up of Australia, Fiji and Uruguay.
“The Six Nations game is not going to have much of a bearing on our group game against England,” he added.
“After all it’s not just England we have to worry about, there’s Australia, Fiji, it’s a really tough group and you can’t really pick out any specific game.
“The focus will be on trying to get out of the group and give ourselves the best chance of progressing.
“You can look at it as being good preparation for if you progress later in the tournament. It’s better to have that than easy games.”
Land Rover is recruiting all 96 Rugby World Cup 2015 official mascots as part of ‘We Deal In Real’, Land Rover’s Rugby World Cup 2015 sponsorship campaign which will champion the people that are the heart and soul of the game by putting grassroots clubs on the global stage. www.landrover.co.uk/mascots @LandRoverRugby #WeDealInReal
