Concussion has been identified as the most common match injury for a third successive year, the Rugby Football Union has revealed in its annual injury audit for 2013-14.
George North scored four tries as Northampton beat the Ospreys in Pool Five while Glasgow held on to beat Montpellier in Pool Four of the European Champions Cup.
George North led the rout as Northampton opened their Aviva Premiership title defence by making a mockery of rebuilt Gloucester's optimism for the new season.
For 22-year-old George North the rise to international rugby stardom has been a remarkable, and explosive one and last year was no exception to this as the giant winger helped Northampton win the Aviva Premiership with his first season in the league.
George North marked his return to Wales in Northampton colours by scoring a brilliant breakaway try, but Saints' Heineken Cup quarter-final hopes were still dealt a major blow.
Northampton director of rugby Jim Mallinder celebrated the finishing prowess of George North after the Wales wing conjured the key score in the 23-9 victory over Harlequins.
Wales wing George North propelled Northampton to the summit of the Aviva Premiership with the pivotal try in their showdown with Harlequins at Franklin's Gardens.
George North's "world-class" pedigree can drive Northampton's Aviva Premiership title charge now his Wales duty release wrangles are at an end, according to Jim Mallinder.
It was agreed yesterday evening (Wednesday) that Northampton are to be fined £60,000 after releasing George North for Wales duty outside of the International Rugby Board’s designated Test window, Premiership Rugby has confirmed.
Northampton face a Premiership Rugby disciplinary panel in London today (Wednesday) for allowing wing George North to play for Wales against Australia outside the International Rugby Board’s autumn window.
Leinster surrendered their unbeaten record in this season's Heineken Cup as Northampton Saints won a low-scoring but absorbing contest at the Aviva Stadium.
In the final International fixture of the autumn the Green and Gold of Australia travelled to Cardiff and the Millennium Stadium to take on the Six Nations Champions Wales in an old-fashioned North vs. South clash.