Cruden won’t join All Blacks No.10 flops, says Evans
NICK Evans believes fellow former All Blacks fly-half Aaron Cruden could be a smash-hit for Bath – if he fully assimilates himself into their way of thinking.
Montpellier star Cruden, 30, is being tipped to join Bath as Rhys Priestland’s summer replacement – first revealed in Blindside in January, but Kiwi No.10s have had mixed fortunes in England.
New Zealand hero Stephen Donald endured a torrid two-year stint at Bath after kicking the winning points at the 2011 World Cup, while Lima Sopoaga is another ex-All Black currently struggling to make his mark at Wasps after his big-money move.
On the flip-side, Evans steered Harlequins to the Premiership title in 2012, while Glen Jackson (Saracens) and Jimmy Gopperth (Newcastle and Wasps) both excelled.
Of the impending arival of Cruden, right, Evans told The Rugby Paper: “Aaron’s a classy player who’s having a bit of a tough time at Montpellier at the moment. He’s been injured and hasn’t played a lot, but maybe the change would do him some good.
“He’s a quality player, and quality players will always make a difference. There is a bit of adaption time and that was a big thing for me, but I showed that you can make it work and you can leave a legacy and be successful in the Premiership.
“It wasn’t just through pure luck, though, I made sure I picked a team that suited me. I did a lot of homework and made sure it was a team where I could have an impact, contribute and play well for – and in my case that was Harlequins.” Evans added: “I also made sure that I didn’t go to a club where I could just latch on to a clique and feel comfortable. I came to a club that got me out of my comfort zone and where I had to work hard to bond with the boys and the team. “I bought in totally to what Quins were doing and whatever they wanted me to do, I did. I adapted and altered my game a bit – then, when I was fully embedded, I started putting my ideas forward and started challenging things a bit more.
“It’ll be hard for someone like Aaron because these days people want success straight away. But people like myself and Jimmy Gopperth showed that if you stick at it and adapt, you can be here for a long time and achieve good things.”