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Will Evans (rugby union)

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

For other people named Will Evans, see Will Evans (disambiguation).

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.

Career

[edit]

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

[edit]

Harlequins

England U20

References

[edit]
  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. ^ a b 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. ^ a b 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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