A CLASSIC case of brotherly love will be put to the test when the Hawke's Bay Magpies meet Otago in round three of the ITM Cup in Napier this weekend.
Havelock North brothers Gareth and Bryn Evans are looking forward to the possibility of packing down against each other when the two teams take the field at McLean Park, Napier, in the Championship match.
Bryn is the older of the two siblings and locks the Magpies scrum. There's no doubt in his mind who his parents will be supporting when the game kicks off tomorrow afternoon.
"He [Gareth] is definitely the favourite of the family. I think mum will be telling me not to try to hurt him," he said. "You know what they say, the youngest is always the favourite and that's the case for mum. I don't think I will be listening to her advice much, otherwise I'd be letting the boys [Magpies] down.
"If I get the chance to rough him up a bit, I'll give it a crack."
Bryn, 26, made his debut for Hawke's Bay in 2003 and has since played Super Rugby for the Blues and the Hurricanes.
Gareth, 20, is studying at university in Otago and was a stand-out player for the Otago under-19 team last season, making his debut for the provincial team in 2011.
"We've played a few games together for Havelock North in the club premiers, but I think this will be the first time playing against each other," Bryn said.
He said the Magpies were well aware of Otago's early form defeating Auckland and North Harbour.
"Looking at those first two results, this game is going to be a good challenge for us, and we're quite excited about the match. We want to put a good performance together."
Bryn said the condensed season would add another dimension to tomorrow's game.
"We've talked about the short season and keeping the whole squad strong; it's going to be unrealistic to expect guys to be fronting up for every game and putting in 80 minutes.
"The guys who come off the bench have to be prepared to slot into positions and be ready to go."
Bryn said he didn't play as many minutes for the Hurricanes this year as he would have liked but was philosophical about his role in the team, and in the Magpies.
"At the end of the day that's professional rugby. Sometimes you're in and sometimes you're not and you just have to roll with it, not drop your lip, and move on to the next thing.
"You do what's best for the team and help those who are in the starting positions. That's what we are trying to do with Hawke's Bay."
There won't be a Super Rugby season next year for Bryn. He's already decided on a move to England where he will play for London Irish, at the conclusion of the ITM Cup. "I've had a few good years of Super Rugby but am ready to try something new and I'm looking forward to the challenge," Bryn said.
"My parents are excited for me. It's a bit of a change moving away from home and putting yourself into a different part of the world and a difficult culture, and I think I will grow from the experience."
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