KEY POINTS:
However the Highlanders believe their premier five-eighths will return to the Super 14 on Friday while the Blues have been working on strategies to counter Evans at Eden Park.
The 26-year-old Evans has worked hard to return from a leg injury suffered in a pre-season trial game and
the medics are expected to confirm his full recovery today.
Until that clearance, coach Greg Cooper is a little cautious. And with some reason.
Evans missed a decent chunk of last year's action because of a shoulder injury and then strained a hamstring after he was picked to start the All Blacks' opening test against England on the end-of-year tour. When he recovered Evans showed his game was sharp in several appearances from the bench.
It was the sort of form the Highlanders were banking on this season. But when Evans was joined on the injured list by other backs Viliame Waqaseduadua and Glen Horton, the southerners were forced to restrict their approach.
They have won two and lost two, grinding away with a strong pack backed up by the tenacity of halfback Jimmy Cowan and some steady work from a rookie backline.
"We had one of the most inexperienced backlines in the history of the competition. We didn't have much choice [than to play conservatively]," Cooper said.
That phase is now over, Evans, Waqaseduadua and Horton are repaired and the Highlanders are confident they can offer enough variety to trouble the competition leaders when they visit Eden Park on Friday. The Blues are certainly wary.
"I think it will make a significant difference," Blues coach David Nucifora said. "Evans is a good attacking player close in and also has that ability to bring other people into the game so he adds a heck of a lot to their attack while there is real pace at the back with Vili and Horton."
While the Blues were talking up Evans' impact they have also been buoyed by the consistent production new five-eighths Isa Nacewa has brought to their squad.
"He is thriving on the workload, he is a superbly-fit athlete and you can see by the amount of contact he takes in a game he never shirks the action," Nucifora said.
The aim is to nail victories in the next two home games - against the Highlanders and Lions - before the Blues have their bye and can then select the conditioning All Blacks.
The coaches are looking to give a few players a break but do not want to disrupt combinations which have built up in the first month of the competition.
"It is a balancing act and while we won't do anything silly, we will give some key people a break over the next few weeks," Nucifora said.
The Blues are likely to reinstate halfback David Gibson and blindside flanker Angus Macdonald after they were spelled last week.
The side will be picked today and the Highlanders are also expected to release their selection.
