After 16 Tests in the All Black jersey, including the 2007 Rugby World Cup campaign, Nick Evans made the decision that with Daniel Carter blocking his way to a starting spot, it was time for pastures new.
In 2008 Evans embarked on a career change, signing with Harlequins in the English premiership.
An extremely talented playmaker, Evans made his All Black debut against England in 2004 and played his last Test against France in the ill-fated 2007 World Cup quarter-final loss. His Super Rugby career involved stints at the Highlanders and Blues.
Evans continues to play for his beloved Harlequins, who he helped guide to their maiden premiership title in 2012, and he is widely considered one of the most successful foreign imports into the English domestic game.
Fortunately as an old school mate of Nick’s, and a teammate in the champion Westlake Boys High School First XV, I managed to grab a moment with him recently to talk rugby and his views on the upcoming Rugby Championship.
Cam Avery: Thanks for your time Nick. How is the pre-season going? How is the Harlequins squad shaping up for the new season?
Nick Evans: Hi mate, I have just come back from our pre-season trip to France, where we had a week-long training camp and finished with a game against Grenoble.
It was a good trip to iron out a few structures and get a game under the belt, but we are still a month away from starting so there’s a way to go before we are running on all cylinders.
The squad looks exciting but it will all depend on how we come together, it’s a long old season and hopefully we get a bit of luck with no injuries. I’m looking forward to getting underway and competing for some trophies again.
What are your predictions for the Rugby Championship? What order will the teams finish?
I genuinely feel this will be the most competitive Championship for a while and the All Blacks will have a tough task in terms of retaining their crown. I like the look of the Wallabies squad and South Africa will always be a force, especially at home.
I will always back the All Blacks to win but I think the Wallabies could surprise the champs. So I will go for an All Blacks win, with Australia close behind and South Africa in third.
Unfortunately I can’t see Argentina threatening the top teams, I feel it would have to be a mixture of complacency of the top teams and them at their very best if they are to upset the apple cart.
Who do you see as the key players for each side?
It is easy to talk about the very top players, but for me it could be the unsung players that may make the difference.
The front row battles will be massive in terms of getting the front-foot ball that the exciting backlines of New Zealand and Australia especially need.
Australia have improved up front with Ben Alexander from the Brumbies looking good, and both New Zealand and Australia will need to be at their very best against the huge packs from South Africa and Argentina.
The two Du Plessis boys and the Beast from the Sharks are just a nightmare to try to dominate.
But since I play in the backs and probably didn’t make any sense about the front rows, the battle of who will wear the 10 jersey for both Australia and New Zealand will be fascinating. Will Carter slot straight back in or will he now play second fiddle to (Aaron) Cruden or (Beauden) Barrett?
And for Australia will it be (Bernard) Foley, who has been in imperious form in Super Rugby, or Matt Toomua who also has had a good season.
Do you think Argentina will finally break their duck and pick up a win this season?
I don’t see it to be honest. For them to win it would have to be complacency by the other three teams and Argentina being at their very best on the day. They will continue to struggle without a team in Super Rugby and all their players being scattered around the Northern Hemisphere.
The old school in me would love a win for them against either Australia or South Africa but I just don’t see it.
For Argentina to be truly competitive as an international side do you think their top players need to play in Southern Hemisphere competitions year round?
Yes, they need to be playing more and competing against the top players from the other countries on a week to week basis. Until that happens they will continue to struggle. Players playing in European competitions, including sometimes in the second division (of a domestic competition) means that it is tough to come together and compete against world-class players who are used to competing on a week-to-week basis against the best.
Should the age of the All Black squad heading into the 2015 World Cup be a concern? Is there enough young blood in the team? What are the problem positions?
Maybe a little, but being older myself I now know that there is a different level of experience and understanding that comes with age. So in my opinion it’s not as big a problem as some channels are making it out to be.
There are a few positional concerns for me, the make up of our midfield is one and also what the front row will be, especially hooker.
Likewise for the Springboks, is selecting Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha a step back?
It will depend on the style they want to play, if they want to be attacking them I am not sure that these players are the best fit, but if it will be based around their defence and set piece then there are no better players than the big old boys.
What do the Wallabies need to do to break their Bledisloe Cup drought?
They are doing it now. By that I mean that they have players that are in-form plus some have just won a Super Rugby title with the Waratahs. And there is now competition for spots in the national team. All this leads to a wave of confidence that can only be good for the Aussies.
How do you rank the All Blacks first five-eighth logjam? In what order would you rank the contenders?
Big question, and I will give you my honest answer. For me I would put Carter at 12 and start Cruden at 10. I think those two play makers will bring an extra dimension to the attacking play of the All Blacks. And with Carter at 12 you don’t lose too much in defence.
Being based in the UK, how do you rank England’s chances for the World Cup next year?
England are a bit like Australia, they are doing the right things both on and off the field. Stuart Lancaster has picked players on form and young players that give him time to mould into a squad that will be together for a long time.
With the World Cup only 15 months away it might be a bit soon for them, but in 2019 they will be right in the mix to lift it again, especially with the young talent coming through as shown with the England Under 20 win.
Will Richie McCaw make it through to the 2015 World Cup?
I hope so but with the injuries he is picking up he will have to be managed carefully. He is a massive asset to New Zealand rugby, not only on the pitch but off it as well.
What do you make of the changes to the eligibility laws? Is it a good thing for the game having players being able to represent more than one nation during their careers?
The fact that I could be one of those players that could exploit it if I were a little younger is a very tempting opportunity. But I think in the spirit of the game it is a door that once opened will be very hard to close again and will turn a lot of people away from the game.
Finally, fast forward 50 years, you are talking to your grandkids about a few of the best players you ever played with and against. What names will you be reeling off?
Playing with Tana Umaga when I first made the All Blacks was a highlight, he was awesome. Guys like Carl Hayman and Doug Howlett too, but also up in England Nick Easter, Danny Care and Chris Robshaw. There are too many to name!
The best player I played against was probably Stephen Larkham, he was the guy that I wanted to play like.
Thanks for your time Nick.
Cheers mate.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.
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