'Gutted' Evans will now seek early release

Dumped All Black first five Nick Evans says he's "gutted" about his omission from Graham Henry's wider training squad and is now looking to negotiate a release from his NZRU contract to head to the UK early.
Axe comes down on stars

Evans has signed a deal to play with Harlequins in the English Premiership through until 2011, but was committed to staying and seeing out his New Zealand commitments this year.

But now that he's unwanted by the national selectors, with Evans among five former All Blacks not even invited to this week's wider training group camp in Auckland, he admits to having a rethink about the timing of his move north.

Evans, who has played 16 tests for the All Blacks and was rated one of their best performers at the ill-fated World Cup last year, told Radio Sport the news of his dumping had hit him hard at first.

"It was gutting, no one likes to get a message like that," he said. "But that was the way it was."

Evans said he had been told of his omission from the 25-man squad that assembled in Auckland on Tuesday (a group not including Crusaders players preparing for this week's Super 14 final) via a message left on his cellphone from coach Graham Henry,

 "To be honest I'm very disappointed and sad that this is kinda the end for me in New Zealand," said the man rated by many as the second best No 10 in the international game last year. "But now it just allows me to look forward to heading up north."

To that end Evans confirmed in his interview with the station that he would probably now seek an early release from his contract with the NZRU to allow him to join Harlequins in time for the start of the northern season.

"I've got a clause in my contract where I can exercise the right to head up earlier if I choose to. I'll go through the process of working out what's best for me.

"Although this is really sad and I'm disappointed I didn't make the squad, in the long run it could be beneficial. It gives me a chance to freshen up, get rid of all the little niggles, then I can head up there when the time is right and really rip into it."

Asked if bypassing the national provincial competition was now a reality, he described that prospect as a "genuine option".

Evans also appeared sceptical about whether his plans offshore had influenced his omission. Henry had said earlier he would pick the "the best" All Blacks side this year, regardless of players' future intentions.

"Obviously I've got to take his word for that, and if I didn't play good enough I didn't. Those are his thoughts and that's what I'll go away with."

Henry appeared to backtrack slightly on his stance when he told TVNZ: "Certainly guys going offshore didn't help that. But in saying that we thought there were two guys playing at 10 and two guys at 15 who were playing better at the time."

Evans said he felt he hit "some of the best form I've played" at last year's World Cup, though conceded his play may have been "patchy" in this year's Super 14 with the erratic Blues.

But Evans denied that his shift to fullback late in the campaign might have cost him his All Black spot. He said the coaches in the past had told him they were always happy for him to secure time there as it helped his ability to cover the position on the bench.

The 27-year-old said he'd had no feedback from the All Black coaches during the Super 14 and denied that his move offshore had affected his focus in any way.

"I've learnt pretty quickly in this game to never expect anything," he added. "I tried to play the best I can. Obviously I made a decision halfway through the year I was going to head up north and ply my trade there. I wasn't expecting anything. If I made it I made it, if I didn't I didn't."

But Evans showed his class when he commented on the next wave of talent who had made the squad, including Stephen Donald of the Chiefs and Paul Williams of the Highlanders.

"I'm pretty excited for them to be honest. I remember when I was in that situation. It's really exciting, it's a new All Black campaign, and you mightn't know whether you've got a shot at making the team but at least you're in the frame.

"For those guys it's awesome to see them there, hopefully they train hard and get a chance to get out there."

Then Evans made possibly his most telling comment. Asked if he was relieved to have signed his big-money deal with Quins before his All Black axing, he replied, succinctly: "Smart." 

Do you think Nick Evans has been hard done by? Or has Graham Henry made the right call for the All Blacks? Post your comments below.

- © Fairfax NZ News