Northampton Saints fined £60,000 for allowing George North to play for Wales outside Test window If Wales want to play, then I am going to play. It is a massive honour every time you get the chance to pull on that jersey. It is important for me to develop as a player. Northampton have enabled me to do that, for my country as well as for the club, and thank goodness they have been so understanding. They have supported me. It is up to each individual player to arrange their contract. I'm not a bookkeeper so don't know why [international] games are played when they are.  North, 21, joined Northampton from Llanelli Scarlets in the close season, one of a number of high-profile group of players to leave Wales in pursuit of better reward and a guaranteed future. Northampton were always aware that there would be situations such as these. Despite insisting earlier in the month that they had not broken any rules they admitted the breach and will not appeal against the decision. They declined to make further comment on Wednesday night. The fine was double that expected. It is understood that there were two breaches: one for release to training and one for the match itself. Premier Rugby believed that it had no option but to adhere to its own regulations mindful that its clubs weigh up these situations when signing players, particularly as regards availability. Gloucester, for example. have just signed Richard Hibbard, the Ospreys hooker. The size of the fine levied against Northampton is designed to act as a deterrent. The case was heard by Premiership chief executives chosen on a rota basis: David Ellis (Harlequins), Nick Blofeld (Bath) and Stephen Vaughan (Gloucester). "Martin Castrogiovanni [Italy] and Geordan Murphy [Ireland] were not allowed to go to any training camps or play in any extra games because it is a PRL directive," Richard Cockerill, Leicester's director of rugby, said. Obviously it is great to have a player of George's quality in the ­Premiership but you do open yourself up. If all clubs were to release their players then pretty soon [countries] will have a fifth Test because it generates money and suddenly there are 15 Tests in a season and not 10. It's rumoured that there are other Wales players coming to the Premiership but that will cause problems with the England Elite Player Squad. Why should England pay for that release when you are giving it to Wales for free? There is little doubt that the ­signing of North, one of the most sought-after talents in Europe after his try-scoring exploits for Wales and the British and Lions, was a coup. The value of that acquisition has just been redefined. It is a sizeable lump to add to an annual salary of some £250,000. There will be a dozen or more of Warren Gatland's front-line Wales squad plying their trade outside the Principality next season with doubt still surrounding the futures of the Cardiff Blues duo Sam Warburton and Leigh Halfpenny. The stand-off between the four Wales regions and the Welsh Rugby Union shows no sign of being resolved. The mood in Wales is grim. North admitted that he was delighted that he had left that behind him. "I am more than happy to be out of it if I'm honest," North said. There is quite a lot of uncertainty as regards the union and the regions. It is nice to be out of it and let them argue. I am really happy to have found a club that wants me to be here. If at a cost.