After his try scoring debut as an emergency centre for Wales in their 27-6 win over France on Friday night, North is preparing for another midfield outing at HQ and a head-to-head battle with Burrell.
A few months ago in Dublin, the two men combined with devastating effect as a centre pairing for Saints in their Heineken Cup win over Leinster. That day, they complemented each other’s strengths, but this time they will be probing for weaknesses.
“I’m going to text him and tell him I’m coming for him,” North said after Friday night’s victory at the Millennium Stadium.
“We’ve had a bit of banter already and it’s all a bit of fun.
“It is good to see him doing well and getting his chance in the England jersey, which is much deserved. The great spirit we have at Northampton means we can have a laugh and joke and one of the things I have been really happy with is the fact they have really adopted me and I feel a part of the squad.
“I think we have done everything we can to get ourselves back in the title race with the win over France, although we’ve still got to wait on a few results. Hopefully they will go our way.
“From our point of view we have put our best foot forward and we are back onto what I think is the best form we could be in leading into a fallow week and then England. England away is going to be a tough fixture for us, but we have given ourselves a chance to get back in it.
“Playing England comes with different challenges and Twickenham is a difficult place to go, as we all know. We will have a couple of days to regroup and do some homework and then get back into it.”
North was pressed into service alongside Jamie Roberts in the Welsh midfield because of injuries to the Scarlets duo of Jonathan Davies and Scott Williams, the Cardiff Blues pair Owen Williams and Cory Allen and the fact Ospreys star Ashley Beck didn’t feel 100 per cent.
But it was a gamble that reaped rich rewards for Warren Gatland as North crossed for his 17th international try within five minutes of the start as he terrorised French full back Brice Dulin into making an elementary mistake, one that gift-wrapped the score for the Welsh giant.
“If needs be, and we are struggling again, then I will have to step up and try to prove myself in the centre again in the England game. I like playing on the wing, but we’ll have to see what the gaffer says,” said North.
“On the wing I am having to read what 13 is doing, but when you are in the centre you have to make some reads yourself and let the wing read off you. Playing against Fofana and Bastareaud isn’t the easiest task, and there were a few mistakes, but for my first run out I was pretty happy.”
North’s 15th Welsh try last Friday saw Wales on the way to victory over France, a remarkable record given he is still just 21 years of age.
“It’s always good when you run and get something back for it. We have changed our mind set on kicks – we now chase hard and compete whether it is a good kick or bad,” said North.
“The chase can make the difference and I’ve been quite lucky to get a few fumbles and that can make the difference at this level, like Alex Cuthbert’s try against Italy and mine against France.
“I keep on forgetting I am still only 21. A few of the boys call me the ‘man child’ and I forget that myself sometimes.
“But I’m just hugely honoured and proud to put on the Welsh jersey at any time of the year and it is nice to get a few games under my belt to get the form going. For me there is nothing better than playing for my country and let’s hope the tries keep coming.”
