North: No serious neck damage

Scarlets and Wales wing George North has suffered "no significant or serious" damage to his neck in Friday's Pro12 encounter with Ulster.

North was stretchered off in the second half of his team's 17-47 loss at Ravenhill, after appearing to take a blow to the head in an accidental collision.

Scarlets, in a statement, said the wing was taken to hospital after the incident where - as a precaution - his neck was both x-rayed and scanned.

"The results from the two scans showed that there was no significant or serious damage to his neck," the statement said.

"North travelled home with the rest of his Scarlets teammates this [Saturday] morning on a flight from Belfast.

"He will be assessed further by the Scarlets medical team on Monday.

"It is too early to assess the full extent of the injury or indeed the recovery period at this stage."

The injury gives Grand Slam champions Wales a major worry ahead of their Six Nations campaign, which kicks off against Ireland in Cardiff on February 2.

North, 20, has scored 11 Wales tries in 26 appearances, including two on his 2010 debut against South Africa and it would be a major blow to his country if he missed the Six Nations.

Wales flyhalf Rhys Priestland is already out of the 2013 campaign because of a torn Achilles.