Will Evans (rugby union)

Last updated

Will Evans
Birth nameWilliam Giles Evans
Date of birth (1997-01-28) 28 January 1997 (age 27)
Place of birth Norwich, England
Height1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight102 kg (16 st 1 lb)
School Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College
Rugby union career
Position(s) Flanker
Current team Harlequins
Senior career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2016–2019 Leicester Tigers 43 (25)
2019– Harlequins 91 (60)
Correct as of 2 August 2024
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2016 England U20 4 (5)
Correct as of 25 June 2016

William Giles Evans (born 28 January 1997) [1] is an English professional rugby union player who plays as a openside flanker for Premiership Rugby club Harlequins. He previously played for Leicester Tigers, he made his Tigers debut against Gloucester having graduated from the academy.

Contents

Career

Evans made his Tigers debut on 2 April 2016 against Gloucester at Welford Road; at the age of 19 years and 64 days old he became the second youngest forward to play for Leicester in the Premiership. [2]

Evans was selected for the England U20 team that hosted the 2016 World Rugby Under 20 Championship and scored a try in a pool stage game against Scotland. [3] He started in the final as England defeated Ireland to become junior world champions. [4] He was subsequently named in tournament's "Dream Team". [5] He was also the only Under 20s player to make the Sky Sports Team of the Week at the end of June 2016. [6] Evans received his first call up to the senior England squad by coach Eddie Jones on 1 August 2016 for a pre-season training squad. [7]

On his 20th birthday, Evans scored a try in the 27–20 win over Northampton Saints in which Tigers qualified for the semifinals of the 2016–17 Anglo-Welsh Cup however he injured himself in the process and didn't return until 9 April, when he played for the A-side against Worcester. [8] [9] At the end of that season Evans was initially chosen to play at the 2017 World Rugby Under 20 Championship however he was unable to participate due to injury. [10]

In March 2019 it was announced that Evans would join Harlequins. [11] In his first season with the club he started in the Premiership Rugby Cup final which they lost against Sale Sharks to finish runners up. [12] The following campaign saw Harlequins win the Premiership however Evans missed the final due to injury. [13] [14]

In April 2024, Evans scored a try in Harlequins 42-41 defeat of Bordeaux Bègles. It was only the second time overall and the first time away that the club had won a knockout game in the European Champions Cup. [15] He also scored a try in their semi-final elimination against Toulouse. [16] At the end of the campaign, following four tries and 98 tackles across seven appearances he was named in the Investec Champions Cup Team of the Season for the 2023-24. [17]

In October 2024, Evans scored twice and won man of the match in Harlequins 36-19 win against Exeter Chiefs to help secure their first win at Sandy Park in 10 years. [18]

Honours

Harlequins

England U20

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References

  1. ↑ "Will Evans". ESPN Scrum. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
  2. ↑ "Leicester Tigers NEWS: Debut boy Will Evans loved the day he 'never thought would happen'". Leicester Mercury. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
  3. ↑ "World Rugby U20 Championship 2016: England win while Ireland stun New Zealand". BBC Sport. 11 June 2016. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  4. 1 2 Fallon, John (25 June 2016). "Dominant England blow Ireland away in U20 World Cup final". Irish Independent. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  5. ↑ "Four Irish players named in the U20 Team of the Championship". newstalk.com. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
  6. ↑ "Team of the week: England's Owen Farrell, Mako Vunipola and Dylan Hartley all star". Sky Sports. 28 June 2016. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  7. ↑ Jones, Chris (1 August 2016). "England squad: Nathan Hughes in, Danny Cipriani and Chris Ashton out". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  8. ↑ "Tigers book Cup semi spot with derby win". Leicester Tigers. 28 January 2017. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  9. ↑ "Last-minute try denies Tigers in 'A' League". Leicester Tigers. 9 April 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  10. ↑ Rowan, Kate (16 June 2017). "How England U20 put faith in youth to close in on another world title" . The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  11. ↑ "Stephan Lewies, Glen Young & Will Evans: Harlequins to bring in forwards in the summer". BBC Sport. 20 March 2019. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  12. ↑ "Premiership Rugby Cup final: Sale Sharks edge out Harlequins thanks to late comeback". BBC Sport. 21 September 2020. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  13. ↑ "Harlequins: Back row Will Evans out for season with fractured tibia". BBC Sport. 26 April 2021. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  14. 1 2 Pilnick, Brent (26 June 2021). "Premiership final: Exeter Chiefs 38-40 Harlequins - Louis Lynagh's late double clinches title". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  15. ↑ "Investec Champions Cup: Bordeaux 41-42 Harlequins - Quins win thriller to reach semi-finals". BBC Sport. 13 April 2024. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  16. ↑ Mann, Mantej (5 May 2024). "Toulouse battle past Quins to reach Champions Cup final". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  17. ↑ "Investec Champions Cup Team of the Season 2023/24". European Rugby Champions Cup. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  18. ↑ Evely, John. "Harlequins tear Exeter Chiefs' defence to shreds to extend their unbeaten run". Devon Live. Retrieved 27 October 2024.
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