Andy Robinson gambles on Evans to give Scots creative edge over Argentina

Published on Thursday 17 June 2010 23:26

IT'S THURSDAY so it must be Mar del Plata! Imagine Brighton out of season and you get some idea what this seaside resort is all about.

In the summer it boasts one of the biggest and busiest beaches in the world, but right now we are in the middle of Argentina's mild winter so the place is something of a ghost town with the large apartment blocks that line the shore front all but devoid of life until a warmer sun beckons the holiday-makers back.

It's a strange place to play a Test match but the Argentinean Rugby Union (UAR) are trying to popularise the sport by taking it across the country, and their evangelical zeal has resulted in the Scotland team making the short hop along the coast to this resort. It's a 40 minute flight from Buenos Aires, 20 minutes going up in the plane and 20 coming back down again.

The team are staying in a brand new hotel set a little way back from the beach and overlooking it if you have a front of house view – those at the back of the hotel look out over a graveyard full of ornate mausoleums. Scotland will hope to bury Argentina's hopes of a revival on Saturday with another display of disciplined and controlled rugby and, if it's not being greedy to ask, just a hint of flair and panache into the bargain.

To that end Andy Robinson has moved Max Evans from wing to outside centre and restored the Glasgow midfield trio in the process. The coach claimed that it was no more than a coincidence but, if the comment can be taken at face value, then at least it's a happy one.

The older of the Evans brothers is a Lilliput in a land of Gullivers, a relative shorty in amongst the giants of the Scottish back line. Scotland boast two strong-running wingers in the substantial forms of Simon Danielli and Sean Lamont, while inside centre Graeme Morrison is obviously made from the same mould, but Evans brings something different to the Scottish backs. He boasts most of his brother's straight line speed and he adds a very handy side step of his own devising. Since Argentina are not noted for falling off tackles it makes some sense to run around rather than through them, and Evans is better equipped than most to do just that.

"We have put down a few guys that we want to get hold of the ball in the opposition 22, a few strike runners," said Evans looking forward to tomorrow's big game. "Guys like me, Sean, Simon Danielli coming in, key strike runners that can be dangerous in that area. It's something I'm looking forward to."

Andy Robinson insists that he doesn't gamble on selection, but handing Evans the 13 shirt is not free of risk. Because he is a little bloke, and without the sort of muscle that makes Shane Williams so powerful, Evans loses the ball in contact more than he would like and Scotland got a lesson when exactly that happened in Tucuman. After making a sublime break and racing deep into Argentine territory, Evans lost the ball in contact. Four passes and 70 metres later, Argentina scored their first try. It was one of the reasons the centre was moved out to wing in the first place but Robinson has obviously decided he wants one of his few creative players to get his hands on the ball as often as possible.

Evans has come a long way in a short time, and the centre insists he is a better player than the naive golf pro who returned to team sports a few years back because he found golf a bit lonely.

"You turn up at the course on your own, you go to the practice ground on your own, and you play the course on your own. I've always loved team sports ever since I was at school," he says.

"Me and my brother have always tried to keep the ball alive," Evans continued, "but I've learned that every time I touch the ball it isn't going to be a try-scoring opportunity. At this level tries are scored from multiple phases and keeping hold of the ball and wearing teams down. I'd never played in the outside backs before I came to Scotland, I'd always been scrum-half, so it's been really enjoyable learning new skills, especially on the wing. I'm still enjoying learning the tricks of the trade."

The centre/wing insisted that while some outside backs might find it frustrating standing, shivering on the flanks while the forwards slugged it out up front, under Robinson this Scotland team put the ball through the hands whenever possible and that is doubly true when playing against Argentina.

There is no questioning the ambition of this squad to play with the ball in hand, all that's missing is a little creativity, which is just what Evans hopes to bring to tomorrow's party.