by Our Sports Desk

WALES captain Sam Warburton said yesterday that George North will benefit from his lengthy lay-off heading into next month’s World Cup.

North, who suffered a series of concussion injuries last season, has not played since March.

But the Northampton winger appears to be on course for a comeback when Wales continue their World Cup warm-up schedule against Ireland in Dublin on August 29, which would see North win his 50th cap.

He took full part during a Wales contact training session in Colwyn Bay on Tuesday and Warburton is predicting big things once more from one of world rugby’s major box-office attractions.

“I think it has been a bit of a blessing, the break he has had,” Warburton said.

“He has been under a huge amount of pressure the last 12 to 24 months. He came on the scene and was one of the best wingers in the world straight away. He has such high expectations of himself and people externally do as well.

“I think he will come back as hungry as we have ever seen him before, and he has had so much time to work on himself physically.

“Every player needs a break. You love playing rugby, but he has been playing tough fixtures with Northampton and coming back to the international scene. Every now and again you do need a break, and I think this will have been good for him.”

While 23-year-old North is set to be an integral part of Wales’s World Cup squad, the dream will end for some players when head coach Warren Gatland reduces his current training group in terms of personnel.

It is thought that eight to 10 players could miss out as the countdown builds towards Gatland’s final 31-man World Cup squad being named at the Millennium Stadium in just under three weeks’ time.

Warburton added: “It is great the competition we have got, but at the same time everyone is helping each other along.

“Everyone gets on great, but unfortunately a couple of guys aren’t going to make it, which is quite sad. But they know that.

“And the chances are that injuries are going to happen in the World Cup. They happened in 2011. Even if guys do get cut (from the training squad), it is definitely not over for them.”

Warburton is among several players who look set to be involved against Ireland later this month, which is Wales’s penultimate preparation fixture before tackling opening World Cup pool opponents Uruguay in Cardiff on September 20.

Wales finished fourth at the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand — their best performance on a global stage for 24 years — when their supreme levels of fitness were lauded.

“I think we have started off in a better place from day one,” Warburton said of the current training work.