He likes a joke but Evans is no clown
ALEX BYWATER sits down in Argentina with jovial Welsh loosehead Rob Evans
“I want to keep on pushing there’s a lot more to come from me”
- Rob Evans
ROB Evans is the joker from Haverfordwest living out his dream with Wales – but while the affable 26-yearold now counts a visit to Donald Trump’s White House and travelling the world as part of his day-to-day activity, the powerful loosehead prop insists he won’t let anything detract from him succeeding at the highest level.
As part of a rejuvenated Scarlets side and first choice for Warren Gatland’s team, Evans’ career is certainly on an upward curve. As we sit down in Wales’ Buenos Aires hotel, Evans’ infectious energy abounds. Laughing and joking, this is a man who is clearly enjoying every minute of being part of a squad united both on and off the pitch.
“I know I am in a privileged position and I am living the dream,” said Evans, always eager to crack a joke to lighten the mood away from the serious nature of Test rugby. “Even so, the most important thing is the game and trying to get better. It’s all about enjoying the experience on the field.
“I like to have a laugh and a joke, but Bradley Davies is the funny one in the squad and I’m normally just laughing at what he’s doing. We have the ‘Joke of the Day’ on this trip – Samson Lee and Owen Watkin are in charge of that one. I’m not allowed because I don’t think the boys could live with me doing that, I’d be too much for them! But everyone is in good spirits on this trip and we are really enjoying each other’s company.”
Evans is part of a young Wales squad this summer which began their three-match tour with a 22-20 win over South Africa in a controversial Test match in Washington DC last Saturday..
The merits of that game – which took place in a foreign land and outside World Rugby’s designated match window – have been debated long and hard, but for the players it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience rare opportunities both on and off the field.
As a man who clearly enjoys life, Evans has embraced everything America and now Argentina has had to offer so far.
“Warren said he was going to rest a lot of boys for the South Africa game after the Scarlets’ PRO14 final against Leinster in Dublin,” Evans added.
“We were able to have a good look around Washington and do all the tourist stuff. We also went to see the Redskins train, watched a baseball game, and went to the White House.
“There was a lot of security to go through at The White House and Gareth Davies couldn’t go through initially because of his false teeth! That was funny and had the boys in stitches!
“They had to check them out before they let him in, but then we went into Trump’s cinema room and then we saw him leave the White House in his helicopter.
“It was an awesome experience and we were thankful they let us in.”
Evans is a pleasure to talk to, but his personable demeanour shouldn’t detract from the fact he is a steely, hard-nosed competitor when he crosses the white line.
The mobile loosehead is in many ways the perfect modernday prop. Strong at the scrummage, quick around the field and a solid line-out operator, arguably Evans’ best attribute is his handling.
He ticks most boxes and while the player himself insists he can still improve, Gatland is a big fan. It is understood Evans would have been called up for last summer’s British & Irish Lions tour of New Zealand had he not been struggling with a broken finger.
That’s an indication of his quality. “We were disappointed losing to Leinster in the PRO14 final. They stung us twice, but even so it wasn’t a bad season for the Scarlets,” Evans said. “Now we want to put things right next season and get some more silverware.
“I want to keep on pushing and I think there is a lot more to come from me.
“There are lots of areas for me to improve on. I am definitely not the finished article and both Gats and Wayne Pivac have encouraged me to keep on working hard and trying to improve my game.”
Evans started Wales’ first Test with Argentina and will be a key man in Saturday’s final encounter in Santa Fe. With Gatland leaving all but two of his Lions at home this summer, Evans is all of a sudden a senior player. It’s a role he’s stepping up to in a camp clearly enjoying itself. As hooker Ryan Elias, below, the match winner against South Africa, put it: “There are no cliques in this squad. Everyone is so friendly and when you go for dinner, you can sit with any of the players or coaches and get along.” Evans certainly plays his part in that but for every laugh and joke, there is a performance to back it up. Barring injury he will surely push hard for a Lions spot in South Africa in 2021. “It feels slightly different on this tour for me. Usually I am one of those looking up and asking for advice from other people, but now some people are asking me,” Evans said. “We are all learning a lot from this trip. We will learn from the experience of playing against two tough teams and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.”