KEY POINTS:
Nick Evans' decision to take his rugby skills to Harlequins has set up a tasty conundrum for the All Black selectors. Not that the five-eighths has challenged them deliberately, it was simply time to make a call.
In most eras, Evans would have been an automatic choice to
start more than five of his 16 tests and the All Blacks were blessed to have him as a deputy to Daniel Carter.
But now that Evans' departure for three seasons at Harlequins has been confirmed, the All Black panel will ponder whether to carry both five-eighths into the initial squad named on June 1 or to blood a rising talent with Carter for the tests against Ireland, England then the Tri-Nations.
Should Evans be bypassed for the All Blacks he has a clause in his contract which would allow him an earlier exit from New Zealand than his planned departure after the provincial championship and before the Grand Slam tour.
His revelation yesterday was not, Evans emphasised, an attempt to create any selection blackmail.
Initially, he worried about the impact of his announcement but then concluded he had to sort out his future. Nearly 28, his shelf-life as a rugby player was declining. He wanted to live in Europe and playing for Harlequins allowed him that paid luxury.
"I kind of convinced myself I would rather get my choice out early and state what I am going to be doing at the end of the year," Evans said. "I wanted to state my intentions for myself really rather than having them in the back of my mind.
"Now we will see what happens. I just play rugby. If I am not picked because I am not playing well or I don't fit into the scheme of things for the All Blacks, then so be it. If I am picked I will be happy, if I am not I will be disappointed, bloody disappointed but it will not be through lack of trying."
Evans had no idea whether his exit would count against his All Black selection: "You will have to ask them that," he said.
He revealed he thought hard about taking up an offer to play in Italy before he got his first Super rugby break in 2004 with the Highlanders. The wandering five-eighths returned to Auckland and the Blues this season with the idea of settling in for a few years.
"But as you know in professional life and business, opportunities come up. Offers are always coming through. There is nothing 'sabbatical' about this - it is a full commitment. And while you never say never, I doubt I will return to have another crack at the All Blacks."
He spoke to old test colleagues Doug Howlett, Carl Hayman and Aaron Mauger for advice. "They are loving it. They say they play more than they train and that the lifestyle is great."
"No one thing pushed me away. It came down to making a list of the positives and negatives. I would be foolish not to take that opportunity at this time of my life. If I was 23-24, I would not be doing it."
Evans did not feel like an unfulfilled All Black although there were hints of frustration. "I am very proud of what I have achieved. Every time I did my best and not a lot of people get to wear the black jersey. The first time I put it on, I fulfilled my dream and that was good enough for me. It can be frustrating because I did not play more but who do you blame? My mum for having me at the time Dan Carter was playing? I am up against the best player in the world and I am not going to blame anyone at all, let alone him or the selectors for picking him ahead of me.
"For a skinny white guy I have done well, there are not many of us little chicken-leg guys around.
"The toughest part is leaving people who come up and tell you how much they like watching you play, that makes the wrench a bit greater. It is not about letting down people because I have learned you can't please everyone but it is hard when they tell you they do not want you to leave."
