Shane Williams: Warren Gatland knows how to get George North twinkling

George NorthEven the best players need a good size ten up the backside sometimes and is no different. George was singled out by in the week for needing to buck up his form for . From personal experience, that was probably the best thing for him.
So much has happened for George in such a short time that it is easy to forget that he is still only 22. I hadn't even won my first cap when I was his age!
Yet he has taken the world game by storm. He has torn up the record books, won a Grand Slam, a and been part of a victorious British series. It has been one constant upward curve for a very young guy.
But no matter who you are, there is no doubt that complacency can set in, especially when you are so young. It happens.
When I got into the Wales team in 2000, I felt unbeatable. I played the whole of the very first Six Nations tournament, under Graham Henry. And when you're scoring tries, you convince yourself that there's no way they can drop you because you are doing this or that. But they can and they did and in the next three years, I only played for Wales once.
That was because Steve Hansen gave me the boot up the rear and it was probably the best thing that ever happened to me. I went away, worked on things and, I would argue, came back a far better player who appreciated it all more.
Every player has to learn to deal with the downs as well as the ups because the dips are inevitably what make you stronger.
Gatland's comments will have raised a few eyebrows given that George would be the first name on the team-sheet for most teams. But anyone who has worked closely with Warren knows how he operates.
He tries to get the best out of players any way he can. Sometimes it's a subtle word and other times it's a bashing in the media. But the aim is always the same, challenging them to improve.
There will not have been any malice to it and Warren will have told George what he was going to do. He's a big boy and a few comments in the papers will not hurt.
It's just a kick up the backside to remind a player that you may be first choice, but you will only get in the team if you're playing well.
There are other guys in Wales pushing hard for places and Liam Williams was unlucky not to start against on Friday night. Hallam Amos is another talent for the future.
Then it's all about how the player reacts. George has actually been having his best club season with . I watched him destroy my old club almost single-handedly in the and the only saving grace was that at least George is Welsh. Hopefully that form snowballs into his Test rugby.
One player who has yet to get his chance at international level is Eli Walker and unfortunately it looks as though he will have to wait even longer after his latest injury.
It has been a torrid last two years for Eli who I saw come through the Ospreys academy.
I worked a lot with him and was so impressed by what a rounded kid he was, with gas to burn. But I fear for him.
Every time he gets back on the pitch and finds some form he breaks down again. We've chatted before about his hamstrings because I suffered the same way when I was younger.
I just hope he can get it sorted because he has the potential to cause real ripples in rugby, perhaps even at the .

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