Evans seeking early getaway
May 28 2008
Discarded All Black Nick Evans is looking to join Guinness Premiership club Harlequins earlier than expected after being left out of coach Graham Henry's New Zealand training squad.
Evans was committed to seeing out his contract for this year before linking up with the London-based club until 2011. The 16-times capped utility back said his omission from the national squad will play a factor into his decision to leave the country sooner rather than later.
"To be honest I'm very disappointed and sad that this is kinda the end for me in New Zealand, but now it just allows me to look forward to heading up north," Evans told Radio Sport.
"I've got a clause in my contract where I can exercise the right to head up (to Harlequins) 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."
Evans was one of the stand-out players during New Zealand's unsuccessful World Cup campaign in 2007, but was not good enough - according to Henry - to make the 25-man training squad which assembled on Tuesday.
Henry said Evans's flagging form in the Super 14 influenced the decision.
"We thought as selectors there were two guys playing better at full-back (Mils Muliaina and Leon MacDonald) than him, and two guys playing better at number ten (Daniel Carter and Stephen Donald) than him," said Henry.
"That's how our selection has been based. [But] leaving New Zealand obviously didn't help, let's be honest."
The snub effectively ends Evans' international career as he won't complete his English contract until mid-2011, when he will be nearly 32.