Stuart Evans
Birth nameStuart Evans
Birth date14 June 1963 (age 63)
Birth placeNeath, Wales
Height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight17 st 7 lb (110 kg)
SchoolDumbarton House School
Clubs 1British Steel
Clubs 2Resolven RFC
Apps 374
Points 320
Years 31982–86[1]
Clubs 3Swansea RFC
Years 41986–87
Clubs 4Neath RFC
Clubs 5Western Suburbs
Apps 61
Points 60
Years 61995[2]
Clubs 6FC Grenoble
Apps 714
Points 70
Years 71996–97[1]
Clubs 7Swansea RFC
Repyears 11985–87
Repteam 1Wales
Repcaps 19
Reppoints 14
Repyears 21986[3]
Repteam 2Barbarian F.C.
Repcaps 21
Reppoints 24
Stuart Evans
Year1start1987
Year1end91
Club 1St. Helens
Appearances 180
Tries 15
Points 120

Stuart Evans (born 14 June 1963)[4] is a Welsh former rugby union and rugby league player who played from the 1980s up until the early 2000s.

Evans also took up a career in coaching the game after he retired from his long and successful professional playing career, having coached up till 2019.

Playing career

Rugby union

Born in Neath in June 1963, Evans played for several rugby union clubs, including British Steel, for whom he once worked, Resolven, Swansea, Western Suburbs, Neath and Barbarian F.C. Between 1985 and 1987, Evans played for the Wales national rugby union team on nine occasions, and played in the 1987 Rugby World Cup.

Rugby league

In September 1987, Evans switched codes to rugby league, joining St Helens.[5]

Evans appeared as an substitute (replacing Peter Souto) in St Helens' 15–14 victory over Leeds in the 1987–88 John Player Special Trophy Final during the 1987–88 season at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 9 January 1988. He also came on as a substitute in St Helen's 0–27 defeat against Wigan in the 1988–89 Challenge Cup final at Wembley Stadium.

Return to rugby union

After leaving St Helens, Evans spent several years attempting to return to rugby union. The governing bodies at the time placed a lifetime ban on anyone who had played professional rugby league, but Evans took the case to court to have the ban overturned.[6] He was eventually re-instated in 1995, but ruptured his achilles tendon in his first appearance for French club FC Grenoble.[2]

Honours

  • Welsh Club Champions:
Winners (1): 1986–87[7] (Neath RFC)
Winners (1): 1987–88 (St. Helens)
Runners-up (2): 1988–89, 1990–91 (St. Helens)
Runners-up (1): 1996–97 (Swansea RFC)

References

  1. ^ "Stuart Evans - Prop". www.swansearfc.co.uk. Retrieved 17 Dec 2024.
  2. ^ "Injury taints Evans' belated comeback". The Independent. 7 September 1995. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  3. ^ "Stuart Evans". www.barbarianfc.co.uk. Retrieved 17 Dec 2024.
  4. ^ Stuart Evans rugby union profile Scrum.com
  5. ^ "Stuart Evans". Saints Heritage Society. Retrieved 27 Aug 2020.
  6. ^ "Sporting Digest: Rugby Union". The Independent. 10 June 1994. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  7. ^ "MATCH REPORT – CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE #VIII – 1986/87". neathrfc.com/. Retrieved 17 Dec 2024.