ALL BLACK LEGEND NICK EVANS TO LEAVE QUINS COACHING ROLE
Harlequins today announced that Attack Coach Nick Evans will leave the Club at the end of the season, bringing to a close one of the most remarkable associations in the Club’s history.
Nick arrived from Super Rugby’s Blues in 2008 and went on to become the greatest points scorer the Club has ever seen.
His 2,249 points from 208 senior appearances is a Club record – he overtook Bob Hiller’s 37-year-old mark in 2013 and at the point of his retirement from playing, stood as the highest-scoring overseas player in PREM history.
The honours reflect a career of the very highest level. Nick contributed 20 points in the 2012 Premiership final victory over Leicester Tigers, having already played a key role in the 2011 Amlin Challenge Cup win as he kicked a touchline conversion in the final moments against Stade Francais.
Before Harlequins, he had won 16 All Blacks caps, scored 103 international points, and been part of the 2007 Rugby World Cup squad.
Transitioning into coaching in 2017, his impact in the role has matched his achievements as a player.
As Attack Coach he helped guide Harlequins to the 2021 Premiership title, with the Club producing stunning victories over Bristol Bears and Exeter Chiefs in one of the most celebrated campaigns in the modern era.
He also played a pivotal role in the development of Marcus Smith into an England international and British & Irish Lion, and in 2023 his reputation earned him a short-term appointment as England’s attack coach for the Six Nations under Steve Borthwick.
A Premiership Rugby Hall of Fame inductee Nick Evans departs as a league title winner at The Stoop twice over – as player and as coach.
Nick said: “After 18 years of living and breathing this Club, it’s incredibly difficult to put into words what it means to myself and my family.
“I leave feeling hugely grateful and honoured not only to have worn the shirt and represented those legends who came before us, but also to have shared that journey as a player and a coach with the incredible supporters who make this Club so special.
“We will carry many amazing moments with us forever, but more than anything, it’s the people that have truly made it. The players, staff and supporters have become like a second family to us.
“I’ve given everything I can to this Club, and in return it has shaped me both professionally and personally in ways I will always value. I wish nothing but success for everyone connected to the club in the future.”
Chief Executive, Laurie Dalrymple said: “Nick’s relationship with Quins has spanned nearly two decades, firstly as our record point scorer and then as a coach behind one of the most thrilling title-winning campaigns the PREM has ever seen.
“He is the only individual in Club history to be a PREM champion as a player and a coach, and for this and many other reasons he will always be a significant part of the Club’s history.
“There can be no doubt of Nick’s contribution on and off the field and we are immensely grateful for his commitment to this Club across so many years.
“Nick remains focused on the remainder of the current season, and we will celebrate his remarkable association with Harlequins prior to his departure.
“We wish him and his family the very best in their next chapter come the end of the season.”
Head Coach, Jason Gilmore said: “It has been great working alongside Nick for the past two seasons.
“He is a true Harlequin who has helped me understand the Club. Nick has made a remarkable contribution to Quins as a player, and then as a coach for the last eight years.
“Nick’s achievements both on and off the field will leave a lasting legacy due to the quality of the man that he is, which has had a huge influence on the players in the squad.
“We wish Nick, Sally and the family all the very best for the next chapter and send our gratitude to Nick for everything he has done for the Club.”