North peaking for Lions after recovering form
For all he has achieved thus far in his career, it is worth remembering that George North is still just 25 years old.
The Northampton and Wales wing is now back in New Zealand, this time in Lions colours. Four years ago, when he carried Israel Folau on his back and scored tries in the first and third Tests, he went from young talent to household name.
So with that experience under his belt, was he calmer approaching a second Lions tour? Surprisingly not so.
"I was more nervous this time," the Gillette ambassador admits.
"In 2013 on the Australia tour I wasn’t blasé, but I thought I was playing well and that if it did not happen that time at the age of 21, then I had plenty more time to do it.
"I was relatively unknown in that sense and lucky enough to go on tour, and I loved every second of it.
"Afterwards I could not stop smiling if I’m honest. As a new tourist I found that everything everyone had said about previous Lions tours was true.
"It was amazing to be a part of the Lions and what it stands for. It gave me more confidence. I realised I was not bad at this rugby game and could maybe make a living out of it.
"I came back more confident about myself and not putting as much pressure on myself, knowing that I can play in the big games."
Except in the build-up to his second Lions tour there was pressure, albeit a different kind, stemming from his experience of just how special a Lions tour can be for those selected, and the fear of missing out on that.
It has been a season where North's best form has taken a while to bubble, meaning that his selection has not come as easily as four years ago.
"This time there is more pressure and expectation on me, and if I’m honest, my form at the start of the season was not really helping me with my selection," he admits.
"During the Six Nations that picked up and I came out of the Championship feeling pretty good, playing some decent rugby towards the end of the season.
"There are so many games in a season, and you cannot peak for every single one. You will go up and down as the season goes on and what matters is how you go about that and trying to play your best rugby.
"It is probably a better thing that I had a few wobbles at the start of the season and am now going into the tour with that confidence in my ability.
"To get the call, I was absolutely chuffed, and that is an understatement."
Back to his age, North might not have the look of a seasoned veteran but his experience of playing in New Zealand runs deep, from the 2011 Rugby World Cup as a teenager to touring with Wales in 2016. One thing he has learned from those trips to pass on to those Lions team-mates unfamiliar with New Zealand is that confidence is key.
"I cannot pass on too much knowledge and wisdom because I’m still a bit of a child. They just have to back themselves," he said.
"I toured last year with Wales and it is great place to tour, because people love their rugby. And the quality there is some of the world’s best rugby.
"With it being the main sport, as it is in Wales, and the fact that these Lions tours only happen every 12 years to New Zealand, for them it is a great challenge and honour, particularly when facing the best of four nations.
"Unfortunately I only played the one Test in 2016 before a hamstring tear. But the rugby there is so high-tempo, with 1-23 all having an unbelievable skill-set. The confidence too that the All Blacks have, knowing that even if they are under the cosh that they can come out on top at the end, is awesome.
"New Zealand is a place where if you go second-guessing then you will quite quickly find out how hard it is a place to tour. You have to back yourself based on having made the squad and by how hard you have worked."
North has tried to keep tabs on the performances of New Zealand's Super Rugby sides, by far and away the dominant teams in the competition to date.
The Crusaders remain unbeaten, the Hurricanes and Highlanders are the two most recent champions, while the Chiefs and Blues have shown enough ability to defeat anyone on their day.
More now than ever European players are chancing their arm at playing in a competition which despite its many flaws, remains incredibly attractive to watch, largely when the New Zealand sides are in action along with South Africa's Lions.
So could North down the road copy the recent examples of Clément Poitrenaud, Dominic Day and soon Geoff Parling in making the move south? He is honest enough to admit that his body might struggle to cope if the opportunity to play in Super Rugby arose.
North explains: "I have watched bits and bobs back home and the Kiwi teams are flying at the moment. I would love the opportunity but by that point I might be too battered I think!
"The way they play the game, it’s so fast, and now at the ripe old age of 25 it would be great to play that way. At 30 I might be a bit long in the tooth to play that style!" No problem. Wales and the Lions will be happy to keep him.
Gillette as an official partner of the 2017 British and Irish Lions tour. Visit @GilletteUK on Twitter for information on how you can win an all-expenses paid trip to NZ to watch the Lions in their first test match.