Ian Evans

Can anyone explain Ian Evans to me? The guy is a total enigma. I remember when he literally burst onto the international scene, playing in what may have been his first international game, scoring a 75m interception try against Argentina. At that time he looked like the kind of lock Wales had never really had before – athletic, massive and abrasive. He went on to establish himself in the national team and played his part in a couple of grand slam campaigns, but in my opinion, I never really saw him consistently playing with the intensity I believed he was capable of when he first showed up on the scene.

He had a long injury lay off 2 or 3 seasons ago, and I remember players talking about how he’d lost some confidence on his return – but then he seemed to get back into gear somewhat, winning his place back at Ospreys and in the Wales camp. But the way he’s been dealt with by coaches since has been quite strange. He was a fringe player on the Lions tour and then managed to cop a massive ban last year, and even fell out of favour with the Ospreys – with them choosing to playing junior players instead of him (anyone know why..?). Then he was supposed to have penned a deal with Toulon – and I had hoped this was something which would help him get out of his comfort zone in Swansea and really up his game. But for some reason this fell through (does anyone know why...?). Apparently Exeter and Scarlets were interested, but now he’s signed with… Bristol. And unlike people like Ryan Jones, Peel, Morgan etc. (who may have been naïvely been convinced that Bristol would definitely be playing in the English Premiership next year) Evans actually knew he’d be playing in the 1st Division (or whatever it’s called) next season! What the actual?!

Surely this guy has effectively and knowingly just signed his professional death warrant. What’s the deal with him? Is he lacking confidence, lazy, or just not too smart..? Does he have off-field issues, or has he just been unlucky or treated badly? I’m just disappointed really, as I had hoped he still had a lot to give for Wales (and hope he still does). Does anyone know what the deal is?

After the 2013 6 Nations he was IMO quite rightly selected for the Lions tour and I had him pinged as a dark horse for the test side but he was pretty anonymous throughout.

He's had a few injury problems and has had his fair share of disciplinary issues which have held him back.

I think it maybe an attitude issue as on his day he can be great and as you say is the type of player Wales need but I went to watch the Probs Poss game and he just seemed totally dis-interested, whether that was due to fact he was in the Poss team and thought he should be in Probs I don't know but he was subbed shortly into 2nd half.

Then in the warm up game before the 1st test he had one of his best games for a while and people (myself included) were saying he should start 2nd test ahead of Charteris.

Quite why he's gone to Bristol I am not sure cos as you said he knows they in the Championship were as the others maybe thought they were going to be in the Prem.

I can't really think of a time when he has managed to get back to back seasons in, he has either been banned for long periods due to needless violence on the pitch (Hugo Ellis's knee, McCarthy's head) or he has been out injured for a decent amount of time.

Supposedly the Scarlets and Exeter both held talks with him, after his Toulon move, so decent sides had shown interest in him. I just wonder if the offers that these teams were prepared to make for him were not quite as he expected (probably lower due to his injury/ban rate). Also, if the rumours are to be believed, he does not have the best working relationship with Steve Tandy at the Ospreys, which held him back from re-joining there. I guess at Bristol there are some familiar faces in Ryan Jones and Sean Holley, so maybe he feels he will fit in better there.

Who is bank rolling Bristol, is there a salary cap in the Championship?

Anyone know what happened with the Toulon deal? Why did they change their mind?

MarcusHalberstram wrote:Anyone know what happened with the Toulon deal?  Why did they change their mind?

Try this;
http://www.scarletfever.org/forum/ian-evans_topic39617.html

19 pages so far on Ian Evans. By god those Turks can talk.

Toulon signed Gorgodze from Montpellier, and Taofifenua from USAP, with Ali Williams, Botha, Roussow and Suta on theirs books, Evans was deemed surplus to requirement.

Thanks for the info Vince. Dave - 19 pages in 3 weeks! Might file it under holiday reading.

Cardiff Dave wrote:

MarcusHalberstram wrote:Anyone know what happened with the Toulon deal?  Why did they change their mind?

Try this;
http://www.scarletfever.org/forum/ian-evans_topic39617.html

19 pages so far on Ian Evans. By god those Turks can talk.

Hey, not all of us are turks, some are jacks/saes/taffs (eeeeuuuugggghhh)

VinceWLB wrote:Toulon signed Gorgodze from Montpellier, and Taofifenua from USAP, with Ali Williams, Botha, Roussow and Suta on theirs books, Evans was deemed surplus to requirement.

Evans was also probably not old enough or expensive enough for that Mourad Jellybaby feller.
 
I really rate Evans and am also fairly gutted he doesn't seem to have kicked on, although he has really copped it with injuries.
 
Brizzle's failure to get promoted leaves quite a few players in no man's land internationally. From a Scotland perspective, our most talented openside since Finlay Calder (Ross Rennie) is now sitting looking at the Clifton Suspension bridge wondering if his loyalty to Andy Robinson hasn't ultimately done him a disservice.

George Carlin wrote:

VinceWLB wrote:Toulon signed Gorgodze from Montpellier, and Taofifenua from USAP, with Ali Williams, Botha, Roussow and Suta on theirs books, Evans was deemed surplus to requirement.

Evans was also probably not old enough or expensive enough for that Mourad Jellybaby feller.
 
I really rate Evans and am also fairly gutted he doesn't seem to have kicked on, although he has really copped it with injuries.
 
Brizzle's failure to get promoted leaves quite a few players in no man's land internationally. From a Scotland perspective, our most talented openside since Finlay Calder (Ross Rennie) is now sitting looking at the Clifton Suspension bridge wondering if his loyalty to Andy Robinson hasn't ultimately done him a disservice.

He was the first player I thought of when Bristol failed to gain promotion. He's such a quality player, but needs to be playing regular top flight rugby. how long is he contracted to Bristol for?

Regarding Evans, I completely agree with the OP- I've never fully understood Ian Evans. He always seems to be on the cusp of brilliance, and I thought his selection to the Lions was the start of him realising his potential and performing week in, week out. Bristol is certainly an odd choice for someone reaching their peak age.

This move reminds me of Dwayne Peels move to Sale and I have a feeling it will do the same for Iantos international future as it did for Peels who had many caps left in him. However, he has been given an amazing salary and contract and he will be part of a side that will see Bristol hoping to emerge from the ashes and move forward and being part of that is potentially exciting. He's also teaming up with his good mate Ryan so plusses a many for Ianto but perhaps not for Wales.   

VinceWLB wrote:Toulon signed Gorgodze from Montpellier, and Taofifenua from USAP, with Ali Williams, Botha, Roussow and Suta on theirs books, Evans was deemed surplus to requirement.

Roussow is retiring but Taofifenua late signing (who is also JIFF) triggered the release of Evans.

I ask again who is bank rolling Bristol and is there a salary cap in the Championship?

Bristol are being bank rolled by the same family that have done so for some time as far as I'm aware. They'll be loaning out several of their big names to AP sides next season in order to bring some sanity to the wage budget with the big guns returning for the playoffs.

There's no salary cap in the championship, that I'm aware of.

Cheers Sam and Hammer.

With regards the loans I had heard that they are looking to loan out M Morgan and now he has sort of got himself into the Welsh set up it would be a good move for him to at least be playing in the Premiership or even get loaned back to one of the Regions.

My big concern is that the WRU seem to prefer their top players to be playing anywhere but the Welsh Regions. Who has been advising Ianto, because he has clearly had rubbish advice?

He probably thought he had won the pools by signing for Toulon, so the WRU cash strangled Regions were allways going to struggle to be able to afford him.

We need to get some real Rugby people running the game in Wales, not Rogers style accountants. Let the players know what is expected of them, where they are suposed the play, and if they get greedy and dont toe the line, then dont pick them. The money they get paid for playing for Wales must be substantial, hit them in the pocket.

Not a bad move for Morgan, he was a long way from a starting place at the Ospreys and would probably struggle at other top sides, at Bristol hopefully he will get plenty of game time.

by bedfordwelsh on Wed 25 Jun 2014, 7:25 pm
I ask again who is bank rolling Bristol and is there a salary cap in the Championship?

Steve lansdown is bank rolling them (as in lansdown Hargreaves) started company in a bedroom in Clifton and are now worth over £1 billion each. Makes Craig Bruce look poor

Can I just say, it was either 05/06 or 06/07 and Ianto, AWJ and Jonathon Thomas made up the 4,5 and 6 for the Ospreys against Munster who started with Mick O'Driscoll and Paul O'Connoll and finished with Mick O'Driscoll and Donnacha O'Callaghan (sorry if wrong spelling) and we won handsomely with our 3 winning loads of Munsters lineout ball. In the next 4 or 5 years we put out that combination in less than 10 occasions mainly due to Ianto's injuries and suspensions, I remember having a discussion on our board about our lineout deficiencies a couple of years ago and researched that combination, that was part of the reason IMO why we brought in Ian Gough and had to move AWJ into the middle lineout jumper, (this is why we admire AWJ so much as he can do the middle and front lineout jobs equally well).
I spoke to Ianto in the club shop during his recent suspension when he was doing an autograph signing session, and asked couldn't he feel the difference between the body and head compared to the earth and he said yes, but he should not have been trying to pull the maul down, he IMO can be his own worse enemy on occasions.
It was 05/06 and we won 29-10

Wayne, fair play to you for asking him that