Evans eager for action after ‘frustrating’ Six Nations

JARROD Evans will take out the frustration of his time in Wales’ Six Nations camp on London Irish in their Challenge Cup clash on Friday night.

Playmaker Evans didn’t see any action in the Championship and had to kick his heels behind firstchoice fly-half Dan Biggar and understudy Callum Sheedy.

Evans, 24, admits his game has improved with that long spell training with the Test side, but his competitive instinct means he is never going to be happy just holding tackle pads.

“I’ve learned a lot and my game has improved a fair bit just by me being up there in that eight-week period,” he said. “But there are times when you get frustrated when you’re not playing.”

Evans, right, has six Wales caps and his talent with ball in hand is more than obvious. His challenge is to improve his kicking and defensive game to elevate himself into Pivac’s side.

“The game is constantly changing and any 10 needs to keep moving with it,” he said. “I’ve been working closely with Neil Jenkins on my kicking game and I’ve really improved in that area and need to keep on top of that.

“Dan and Callum have gone really well and it’s hard to change a winning side. We’ve all been pushing each other, but when my opportunity comes, I have to take it. That starts by driving the Cardiff team forward.”

Evans also has Gareth Anscombe and Rhys Patchell – who have both had severe injury struggles – as international rivals, but he nonetheless remains first-choice flyhalf at Cardiff Blues. The incoming arrival of Rhys Priestland from Bath will challenge that.

“It’s nice to be back at Cardiff and showing what I can do and what I’m capable of. I’m enjoying some wins. We have to keep moving forward.”

Evans is out of contract at the end of this season. TRP reported Evans was interesting Gloucester, but it is understood he is now likely to stay in the Welsh capital.

Exact details over which banding of Welsh rugby’s complicated payment structure Evans will fit into is understood to be part of the reason for the delay in negotiations.

Evans helped Cardiff to win the Challenge Cup in 2018 and hopes to take Dai Young’s side to the latter stages again. Cardiff travel to Irish in Friday’s last 16 tie on the back of morale-boosting back-to-back wins over Benetton and Edinburgh. “We’re definitely looking to take momentum into the Challenge Cup. We’re going keep building and relish the European competition,” to said Evans. “We’ve had a bit of success in the competition before and the boys will be very keen going into this weekend.

“I’ve seen a fair bit of London Irish in the Gallagher Premiership and they’re a very dangerous side. Paddy Jackson runs things pretty well for them and they’ve got some star names.

“We’re going to have to be on the money both with and without the ball. We’ve built confidence from back-to-back wins and we’re going up there with all guns blazing.”