This week PembrokeshireSport.co.uk was delighted to have a cup of coffee (and a Kit Kat!) with Rob Evans, our latest Welsh rugby international in the county, to ask him some questions about himself.
You are clearly proud of your roots in Haverfordwest. How important are your family to you?
They are hugely important because my parents make sure I keep my feet firmly on the ground. That I should be a prop is no surprise because it is very much a family position. My father Graham was a hugely respected prop for many years with Haverfordwest, captaining them in 1990 and 1991, and the county, whilst younger brother Oli is at Cardiff University but doubles up as a another prop at Narberth. My mum Catherine is the only non-prop in the
Evans’ household, but has been a brilliant support in life generally and used to be nervous watching me but is a bit better now. She provides the greatest support for all of us and still tells me off if it is needed!
The prop theme continues because my Uncles Richard and Tim also played there for Haverfordwest, whilst cousin Brett Davies plays in the forwards for the Blues.
Outside of sport my grounding continues with Uncle Paul in Llawhaden, where I keep my six pigs and visit them almost every day to feed and muck out. They are due to go soon to provide bacon for the family – and I hope my rugby pal Lee Summons will help me out with some more piglets!
What influences did you have in your formative years?
I can remember playing for a useful STP School team alongside Sam Parry, now with the Ospreys, and with the Haverfordwest Youth team coached at times by Tim Parry, John Summons, Steve Brown, Steve O’Leary and Nigel Griffiths, where I joined the likes of Adam and Matthew Clark, Lee Summons, Morgan Scale, James Cromwell and Aled Thomas in winning the Griffiths Cup when I was 16 or 17, playing against a good Whitland Youth that included Dan Newton.
I was also a member of the Scarlets’ Academy on a two-year contract, signing professional forms before the under 20s World Cup and from there I moved to Carmarthen Quins and gained experience aplenty as coach Max Howells allowed me lots of game time.
I made my debut off the bench against Pontypridd at Sardis Road and there were loads of skirmishes in a tough game. It was a real baptism of fire but I had three happy years there and was delighted for the last two of them I was chosen at the end of the campaign in the Premiership ‘Team of the Year’.
I had also been with Sam Parry to play for eight weeks with the Sharks Academy in South Africa and learned so much about the game there – they were certainly a tough bunch!
What was the highlight from your earlier years in rugby?
Playing for Wales in the 2012 IRB Cup must rank up near the top after I had previously been a regular member of the Welsh under 20 team and we played 13 matches, eight of which I started at loose head prop.
We came third in the World Cup, held in South Africa, with current Scarlets Samson Lee and Kirby Myhill alongside me in the front row, and my lasting memory will be in beating New Zealand 9-6 in the pool matches, the first time they had ever lost in a World Cup match.
The game was played in atrocious conditions and our defence was incredible – and although they beat us by 20 points in the semi-final it was nice to play in a Welsh team which beat our counterparts from New Zealand.
As well as playing rugby we also climbed up Table Mountain and visited a shanty town where AIDS was rife – and I will never forget how the young kids there were so excited about seeing us.
Tell us about your time with the Scarlets?
I certainly didn’t have the fastest of starts because in my first season I came off the bench for the last seven minutes of a game against Sale Sharks in the LV Cup, the only time I played!
But since then I have just passed my 50th game and was delighted to finally grab a try against Leicester at Wellfield Road – and in front of the TV cameras too!
I’ve played in some terrific matches in France, where the crowds are very vocal and the players very tough, the best being our win against Racing Metro in the Heineken Cup, with other epic games against Toulon (including Leigh Halfpenny) and Claremont Auvergne.
All great games but one I will remember as much as any is our Christmas local derby where we smashed the Ospreys and Sam Parry was involved for them!
I have just signed a new two-year contract at Parc y Scarlets and I can’t tell you how much that means to me because I am a Scarlet through and through and just want to do well with what has always been my regional team.
The Ireland game must have been pretty special?
It was pretty good (Sports Editor’s note: It is the typical understatement that we love from Rob!) and I am hugely honoured to have two caps already and two wins. I had been called into the Welsh squad to play Tonga when I was 21 and at first I genuinely thought it was a leg pull until I got the e-mail from team manager Alan Phillips.
But didn’t make the final 22 so I wasn’t counting my chickens this season – until I was told I was in the 22 to play against Ireland and I knew that regular loose-head prop Gethin Jenkins was struggling with full fitness.
The build up to the match sees an early breakfast and a period of swimming or other relaxation at The Vale, where I had slept OK, and then on the bus into Cardiff, which is another experience, especially going through the main streets where the crowds are waving and shouting.
Coming out of the changing rooms to see the supporters in the stands was awesome and I will never forget standing there when the national anthem was sung.
At half time I was told I was going to be needed in the second half and didn’t have much time to be nervous before I ran out onto the pitch at the Millennium Stadium to play against the likes of Paul O’Connell and Johnny Sexton.
The pace was immense and the tackling ferocious as we defended as if our lives depended upon it – it was manic at times and somehow we kept our noses in front to win the match. I was delighted that I was involved in winning the penalty that saw Leigh Halfpenny round off the scoring and it felt great to the proud owner of a Welsh rugby cap!
What about starting against Italy in Rome?
Then I was chosen to start against Italy at the Stadio Olimpico, and we flew out to Rome after stopping overnight in the Vale Hotel, with light training the next morning, followed by a coffee in Rome and an early night in readiness for a 12.30pm start.
I was propping against Martin Castrogiovanni, who had over 110 caps. We aimed to wear them down in the first half and although we were only a point in front at half time we could see they were beginning to tire. He got away with pulling down on my shirt and the ref apologised to me afterwards for not spotting it – but it was another lesson learned in my rugby education and it was great to share in the celebrations after we had run them off their feet before the end of the game!
Of course we were disappointed not to win the Six Nations Trophy but knew we had tried hard on the day so couldn’t have done any more. There were a few beers and the usual after-match speeches at the official dinner – and then back to Wales the next morning.
We’ve talked about some of your best moments – what about down-beat times?
In any sportsman’s life there will be those and I’ve had a few injuries so appreciate being fit to play at present. The worst was a couple of seasons ago because it was hugely disrupted by injury.
I had two hip operations and for a bit was feeling a little pessimistic but I had every encouragement in rehab from the medical staff at Parc y Scarlets and Simon Easterby, who was then coach.
I have had a few other bumps and bruises but playing in the front row they are always going to be about – so we have to get on with them!
Almost time to give you a bit of peace Rob – what about ambitions?
I am delighted to have signed my deal with the Scarlets and aim to continue my development with them alongside a number of other young players that include James ‘Cub’ Davies, Samson Lee and Kirby Myhill.
We have a good coach in Wayne Pivac and there is a great camaraderie amongst the players so I just want to see us do well at the highest levels.
It’s the same for Wales – I intend to keep my head down, work really hard on building my fitness and improving my ball skills.
I feel so honoured to have two Welsh caps and I am aware opf the terrific support I have had from my home county.
Before my first game, against Ireland, my phone battery was full and when I turned it back on later that evening it was almost flat, because of all the text messages I had received.
I know how lucky I am to have that support from family and friends and I’ll try and keep grounded by looking after my pigs - and perhaps getting in a bit of fishing on the Cleddau as soon as I get the chance!