Wales U20s will finally have the chance to unleash giant second-row Will Evans at the World Rugby Junior World Championship in Georgia this summer. Standing 6ft 6in and weighing 125kg (19st 7lb), the Scarlets lock possesses the size and physicality to make a significant impact on the professional game.
For much of the past 18 months, head coach Richard Whiffin and his coaching team have been eager to call upon Evans, but a succession of cruel injuries have repeatedly denied them that opportunity. Evans is focused on making a big impact for Wales U20s this summer, but long-term he wants to become the enforcer of the Scarlets pack.
Physical Edge and Role Models
"It is my physicality," said Evans when asked what he can bring to the Wales U20s and Scarlets packs. "I'm a big man who prides myself on my ball-carrying and tackling. I love being physical and being tough. I want to run over people. I'd like to think I can bring a physical edge. That's my point of difference. I just hit things as hard as I can."
Evans hails from the village of Chobham in Surrey and qualifies for Wales through his father, who was born in St Asaph in Denbighshire. After coming through the London Irish academy, he was identified by the Welsh Rugby Union's Exiles programme, a pathway that ultimately led to a place in the Scarlets academy. Growing up in England did little to dilute his Welsh identity, thanks largely to his father's unwavering passion for Welsh rugby.
Among the players he admires most is former Wales lock Jake Ball, whose abrasive, uncompromising style is one Evans hopes to emulate. "I always looked up to Jake Ball," he told WalesOnline. "It was pretty cool to see him come back to Scarlets last season. I used to love watching him when I was growing up and he helped me a lot last season with my injuries and nutrition. Bradley Davies was another. He's taught me quite a bit. He specialised in the dark arts as a player. He's been good and helped me with the breakdown. He's a funny bloke as well. Sometimes when you come into the gym when you've been injured for so long he pops a joke and makes you cheer up a bit."
Injury Battles and Mental Resilience
The road has been far from smooth for Evans. At times, he could have been forgiven for wondering whether it was ever meant to be, but through sheer determination he has battled back from a series of cruel injury setbacks. "It started off with my big toe. I had a rupture under it so I had to get that reconstructed," he said. "That was a bad injury because you use it for everything be it scrums or rucks. I then had an ankle injury and a few ligament injuries. This time last year I had a hamstring injury when I was with Wales U20s, and then when I got back to the Scarlets I tore another hamstring. The most recent one was when I tore my quad at the beginning of January."
"When it happens the first few days afterwards you are at rock bottom. There were times I thought to myself 'oh what's the point anymore' because it happened so many times. Mentally you are up here after you've built yourself back up and then all of a sudden you are straight back down. You do question why it is happening to you but you've got to keep going, haven't you?"
Evans, who has previously impressed for Llandovery in Super Rygbi Cymru, came through it with the support of the Scarlets. "Josh Macleod helped me quite a bit because he's been through similar," he said. "As an academy player seeing the captain come up to you to help you was great. He gave me advice and regularly asked how I was feeling. Jake was the other one. He tried to help me with sleep and nutrition. When it happens the first few days afterwards you are at rock bottom. That's when my parents and the club came in. You build that motivation again. Ever since I was young all I wanted to do was become a professional rugby player. I wasn't going to give it up easily."
Wales U20s' Physical Presence
Much of Welsh rugby’s recent struggles have been put down to a lack of size and power, but there are signs of optimism. With Evans, the 6ft 8in Luke Evans, and Osian Williams, Wales Under-20s boast serious physical presence. Evans believes they have the power and physicality to compete up-front with the likes of South Africa this summer. "That's something we've mentioned in training," he said. "We have the capabilities in the group to match them if not be better than them. It is about having the belief in our group that we can do it."
After a long and frustrating wait, Evans finally has the opportunity to let his rugby do the talking.
