Fishing on hold as Evans carries on with rugby business

Nick Evans

Nick Evans had lined up a few fishing trips for the early summer months but he's more than happy to give up the leisure for more rugby business.

The Otago first five-eighth has replaced the injured Luke McAlister for the Grand Slam tour.

"I had a couple of fishing trips lined up," Evans said yesterday.

"We were going to come back up here (Auckland) and try and murder some snapper but that'll have to be on hold and I'll have to try and do that when we get back."

Evans said he was sorry for McAlister but was determined to force his way into the team permanently.

"It's a shame for Luke, he's a great mate and I wish him all the best, but now I've got an opportunity.

"It's just up to me when I get my chance...that I make the most of it and show what I can do on the field."

Evans has not added to his tally of four All Blacks tests since the middle of last year.

He missed last year's tour to Britain and France. The selectors told him to work on his game.

"Everyone's going to come out and say things like 'what have I done' or 'what haven't I done', but I thought maybe it's just a mould that they were looking for that I didn't suit," he said.

"Through Super 12 and the NPC especially I did a lot of extra work at things and I thought towards the end I was playing some really good footie. It's just great to get this bonus at the end of the year."

Evans didn't think there were any major weak parts to his game, but felt two aspects had particularly improved this year.

"I've worked quite hard with our defence coach, hitting a lot of tackle bags and things like that, so I think I've made a lot of steps in that," he said.

"Also, my decision making role as a first-five in communicating to the forwards is another area I think I've improved, especially in the NPC."

Evans' test appearances to date have been at fullback and though he now sees himself as a first-five eighth, he's not abandoning fullback skills yet.

However, he doesn't want to offer himself as an option for the midfield.

"There's obviously a lot of talk now about how the All Blacks are picking utilities, so I might have to keep fullback in the back pocket just in case," he said.

"But if I just concentrate on what I do now and become a master of that trade rather than a jack of all trades then I think that's going to help me rather than to play a position I'm not suited for like second-five. I don't think I'm big enough."

With coach Graham Henry saying no All Blacks are likely to play every test, Evans can expect to start at least one of the four tests on tour at first five-eighth.

Henry said it was unlikely that Leon MacDonald would start any test at first five-eighth although the Canterbury utility back would cover the position if he was on the bench.

Henry has yet to decide if Evans would be goalkicking.

- NZPA