George North signs off with two tries in Barbarians farewell

George North’s final professional match ended with a personal flourish: two tries for the Barbarians against Wales and the first conversion of his senior career. Wales still took the result, edging the Barbarians 33-31 at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.

North came on after 47 minutes and made an immediate impact, scoring with his first involvement before adding another try later in the game. His last act as a player was even more unusual, as he stepped up to convert after being encouraged forward by his Barbarians team-mates.

The occasion carried extra weight because North had already ended his Wales career in 2024 after 121 caps and 47 international tries. His record includes four Six Nations titles, two Grand Slams, and British & Irish Lions tours in 2013 and 2017.

After the match, tributes came from both dressing rooms, including Wales head coach Steve Tandy, captain Dewi Lake, Barbarians coach Scott Robertson and captain Faf de Klerk. North indicated that rest and family time come next, while leaving open the possibility of staying connected to rugby in some future role.