Eight-point margin possible insists Evans

MAX Evans grew up in England but was regularly encouraged to cheer against them and, after scoring at Twickenham this year, Scotland’s sparky winger is now convinced that his side have the weaponry to make England miserable in Saturday’s final Pool B clash in Auckland.

The 28-year-old was born in Torquay and schooled at Wellington College in Berkshire, but, with Glaswegian grandfather Fred Thom on hand, he was never short of advice on which side of the Calcutta Cup divide he should fall. Evans and his brother Thom were schoolmates of James Haskell, who is likely to play in England’s back row this weekend but they have lost touch a bit as Max Evans’ Scotland career continues on an upward trajectory.

The red-booted wing was as inconsolable as the rest of the squad on Sunday after the 13-12 loss to Argentina but by the time they had arrived in Auckland yesterday he was already drawing on the memory of Twickenham in March, where a heavily-backed England were taken to the wire. It was Evans’ chip-and-chase try that took Scotland within three points of their hosts in the dying stages, only for Jonny Wilkinson to strike a penalty with two minutes left to seal the game.

Evans said: “I just remember feeling very confident most of the game and feeling in that game that we were going to win it right up to the end. It was a great game to be involved in bar the result at the end and it was great to get a try.

“So it’s a bit of a boost going into this game remembering the feelings of that one, and definitely feeling that an eight-point win is achievable.

“I definitely felt that we rattled them in that game, and got in their faces and stopped them playing. I could definitely sense them getting frustrated and we can easily do the same in this game, especially with the situation we’re in with nothing to lose and be able to just go all-out.”

Asked where he believes this England team have weaknesses, and where Scotland possess the strengths to defeat them, he pointed to the Scots defence which has provided the platform for two victories and a draw over England in the last three Murrayfield meetings.

“One thing England have been out here is very clinical but the Argentinians showed they could keep them out for most of the game and it was a slight lack of concentration on the Argentinians part that let [Ben] Youngs in for his try. We’re able to defend like that and can keep them out, and you win games with your defence so, at the end of the day, eight points is definitely achievable.

“They have a very dominant pack, but also have a real attacking threat in the back line so, when they keep the ball for long periods, they get dangerous. They can tire teams out and have guys like [Chris] Ashton, [Mark] Cueto and [Ben] Foden who don’t just stay on the wings but pop up where the space is.”

Asked whether Scotland still need to learn how to win big games, Evans shot back: “We know how to win games. We showed that before Sunday’s game with the number of games we have won, and we should have won against Argentina so I disagree with any suggestion that we don’t know how to win.”

The winger, who created Scotland’s best chance on Sunday with another chip-and-chase, was also keen to revise his after-match view of what is now needed at Eden Park.

“On Sunday night after we lost I thought we would need four tries against England, so said we should just take risks, but now thinking about it, and the fact we just need to win by eight points, I don’t think we should be thinking about taking a whole lot of risks.

“We need to make sure we get our basics right, like getting our restart back after scoring points, and we’re always looking to be clinical, which is something we’ve been lacking when we get into the scoring zone. Those are the things we need to focus on.

“I’ve been speaking to Nick de Luca and, from a back’s perspective, we felt it’s been tough trying to get that link in the last couple of games. It was there against Romania but we had a drier ball and so got the off-loads, but it’s tough to off-load and try things when the ball is a bit wet.

“So the difference would be getting that link especially in the backs so that if somebody makes a break it doesn’t get turned over, but we get points, or put the pressure on and get a penalty and get the points that way.

“Personally, I’m desperate for a try in this World Cup so I’d love to get tries, but games can be won by an eight-point margin without scoring any tries so, if we came off the pitch winning by eight points but not scoring any tries, I’d be pretty happy. You can also win games with good defence. If you keep the opposition out you’ve got a better chance of scoring more points than them.”

Evans mentioned that his brother had been texting him with motivational quotes, the pair both movie buffs who regularly quote lines from movies – Evans’ favourite films are The Game and The Sting but he has been known to quote from Gladiator and Braveheart – and it is clear that the Scots are beginning to lift themselves again.

It was pointed out to Evans that the last time Scotland defeated England by more than six points was 25 years ago, in a 33-6 Murrayfield win, but he added: “History is there to be re-written and changed. I don’t think many of the guys will be aware of that, but it can be a positive. I’m sure it will be.

“It all adds to the determinaton not to be another team that leaves it or stretches the record, or just wins by six points. You want to be that team that does re-write the history books.

“Myself and Nick were speaking to a supporter from New Zealand who said he was gutted for us, that he’d been rooting for us, and Nick said ‘this was the way we wanted it, so that we could beat England and knock them out’. So we’re looking at it like that, and trying to see the positive side.”