KEY POINTS:
Loves his fishing does Nick Evans. And he's hooked himself a big'un this season as the Blues' backline director.
While he was out off White Island during a few days' break around Christmas trolling the East Coast waters for kingfish and hapuka he was able to dissect how
he had fitted into his new franchise and what the campaign might hold.
"Fishing is a real passion of mine, it was awesome," he recalls. "I love it, it's my getaway from everything - to be able to just get out there and enjoy. It is something different. I just love cruising round out there.
"There is the anticipation of the whole thing. I could be out there for eight hours and not catch anything but it's the waiting for that one chance, that one second when things happen, which is so enjoyable, so exciting."
The Blues will be wanting more tangible results from Evans than those produced on a slow day's fishing. But his team will benefit if the backline boss can display the patience of a fisherman and sharp reactions.
The move north marks a return home for Evans, who was born on the North Shore. His provincial career started with North Harbour in 2002 before he was drafted to the Highlanders then eventually transferred to Otago. Down south, Evans was tutored by coach Greg Cooper and the pair have both ended up with the Blues for this Super 14 campaign - Evans by choice and Cooper after some national contractual reshuffling.
Evans is a big catch. Since Carlos Spencer vacated the pivot position, the Blues have used Luke McAlister, Tasesa Lavea, David Holwell and Isa Nacewa with mixed degrees of success.
He arrives at a team in transition. The Blues have lost some heavy chunks of experience going into this season with the exits of Doug Howlett, Sam Tuitupou, McAlister, Steve Devine, David Gibson, Angus Macdonald, Greg Rawlinson, Ali Williams, Derren Witcombe and Saimone Taumoepeau.
They have picked up some lively new talent and will have All Blacks such as Keven Mealamu, Joe Rokocoko and Tony Woodcock from the start of the Super 14 competition. But the big plus is Evans.
The Blues have been searching for the whole package at first five-eighths since Spencer left. Nacewa did a fine job last season when he was pushed into the role but he lacks Evans' top-quality kicking game.
As long as his frame holds up, the 27-year-old is ready to exhibit the experience and skills he has learned in 16 tests, 61 provincial games and 23 matches in the Super series.
He is a more structured five-eighths than Nacewa or Spencer but he has tremendous speed and a huge kicking game with which to exploit some of the changes to the game which the experimental laws will bring.
If the Blues forwards deliver enough possession, Evans will have all sorts of attacking options to choose from. The likes of Isaia Toeava, Anthony Tuitavake or Nacewa will be on the outside and he will have ball-carrying forwards such as Jerome Kaino, Nick Williams or Daniel Braid to use on the inside.
As Cooper points out, everyone will need to share the Blues workload; Evans cannot be seen as the panacea.
"The big challenge will be for everyone not to expect Nick to do everything," he said.
"He just needs to do his job and if everyone else does theirs I think we'll see Nick go to a higher level."
If Evans fires, and Daniel Carter excels in the midfield role mooted for him at the Crusaders, the All Black selectors may suddenly have the answer about how best to cover for the departure of McAlister and Aaron Mauger from the midfield.
But none of that debate is concerning Evans right now - he's simply looking forward to playing some rugby in the No 10 jersey.
He rejoined the Blues earlier than was necessary, keen to run off some of the World Cup residue and work on some strategies with his new teammates.
Evans made his initial move south to build his profile at first five-eighths and is now ambitious to push on to another stage.
"Going down to the Highlanders was a chance for me to state my name as first five. With Brownie [Tony Brown] leaving there was going to be a big opportunity for me to go down there and I was lucky enough to get picked up even though most of my first year down there was at fullback.
"Then I made the All Blacks as fullback but I made it clear to everyone really that I wanted to play first five and I would not have changed anything, it was a great place to be down there and play my rugby.
"The time I had down there, having to take a leading role, and the things I learned about myself and life and everything, it was great.
"If I had stayed up here I think I would have been on the bench at the best because there were players like Carlos and Luke with the Blues.
"For myself as a person it was the best thing to shift south. I had to get out of my comfort zone and fend for myself, meeting new people and the rugby complemented that.
"I think I gained the most benefit from having to be in a leadership role, especially at the World Cup I found myself being much more comfortable with the All Blacks and that came from having to do it with the Highlanders. I think after four years though I was starting to slip into that comfort zone again and I thought it was time for a new challenge and what better time to come back and see the family a bit more.
"I want to be even better. I have been sitting in the wings getting the odd game for the All Blacks here and there but I want to press forward and have a real shot at being a starting first five for the All Blacks and I needed something to gee me up."
Evans, who has had the bonus of reporting in injury-free this year, says he feels invigorated by his franchise switch. He was doing much of what he had done before but it all seemed fresh and new because of his change of surroundings and different teammates. He admits to having some nerves about showing his Blues teammates that he has the goods.
"Expectation is huge. I have put a lot on myself to prove to these boys I can do it and it was a good decision to come up here. But I am also conscious I do not want to fall into the trap of trying too hard and trying to prove everything myself and making a fool of myself. I have got a clear mind and know what I have to do this season and it is not to go out there and try to change the world and show I'm the best player in the country.
"It is all about doing my job and balancing the talent there is in this side.
"When I rocked up there were about eight guys I did not know but watching them and seeing their talent is incredible."
Evans says that Cooper's switch would also help him to blossom. Down south he almost felt he had to be everything from bottlewasher to busdriver to counsellor and coach whereas with the Blues he would be able to concentrate on sorting out the backline.
"I think this will bring the best out in him, he will have more time to sort out what his primary duties are."
Likewise for the young first five-eighth.
