Leaving Pontyclun Falcons to battle against a back row of England internationals to try to get a game each week was, on paper at least, a daunting prospect. Saracens, the then reigning Allianz Premier15s champions, had identified the Welsh international’s talent and she quickly developed into an essential member of the Saracens pack.
She made 16 appearances, grew in confidence and stature and came off the bench in the showpiece Premier15s final against Harlequins at Kingsholm. A 25-17 defeat was hard to take, but as the new season gets set to kick-off this weekend Evans has a warning for the other teams in the top women’s rugby league in the world.
Georgia playing for Wales
“We lost the London battles last season. Wasps beat us in the regular season and Harlequins beat us in the final, so this weekend we will be going out to lay down a marker to show we are ready to reclaim the title,” said the 24-year-old Evans.
“We have a different mindset this season. It is completely different chasing a title rather than defending it and we will show the Wolfpack mentality is back and we have an edge over everyone else.”
Her move to Saracens has already reaped her rich rewards. She has now won eight caps for her country and from this week is also the proud owner of her first ‘grown up’ job as a learning support assistant at the Saracens High School.
The new job has been a bit of a culture shock for the former University of South Wales Sports Science student, who left the Pontypridd campus with a Masters degree in strength and conditioning, with much earlier starts than she has been used to.
“When I moved up to London I was living off savings because I was hoping to push for a place in the World Cup. When that was pushed into next year, and I was offered a new contract at the club, I had to try to find myself a proper job for the first time,” said Evans.
“The opportunity came up at the school and my first day was Wednesday. It has been a bit of a shock having to get up at 7.00am to be at school by 8.00am, but I’ve really enjoyed the first few days. The end goal after graduating was to become a lecturer, so this is a good step along the way to achieving that.”
New job, new contract, new challenges this season for Evans as she looks to build on what Saracens coach Alex Austerberry described as “a stellar first season”. Her goals on the field are simple – to bag a regular starting berth and to help her club bring back the title to the StoneX Stadium.
“It was great to sign a new contract and to know the club still wanted me. It means I can spend more time with this group and build on what I achieved last season,” she added.
“It was a huge jump from Pontyclun Falcons to Saracens and it was a move I was a bit reluctant to take at first. In the end it was just too good an opportunity to miss.
“It gave me the chance to challenge and measure myself against some of the best players in the women’s game in every training session and every weekend. I joined a club with an all-England back row who were the two-time champions of England and so I had a lot to prove.
“They felt I had something to offer and I worked as hard as possible to fulfil my promise. Playing in the Allianz15s final at the end of my first season was really exciting and the fact we had fans at Kingsholm made for an amazing atmosphere.
“It was my first final and I loved it, even though we lost. The women’s game is growing rapidly in England and the set-ups at the clubs is fantastic.
“We have big rivalries, streamed TV matches and lots of rivalry. Saracens have always had derbies against Wasps and Harlequins, but Exeter Chiefs also managed to beat us last season as they came into the equation.
“More and more people are paying to come to watch us and I’ve even had fans recognising me in the street. It’s all been a bit surreal.”
Fellow Welsh pack member Donna Rose has also resigned for another season and the 30-year-old back row turned prop is another who will be hoping to make up for losing in the Premier15s final in May.
There are plenty of other Welsh players who will feature in the league over the season with 15 playing at Gloucester-Hartpury and 14 at Bristol Bears. The Bears, double Olympian Jasmine Joyce among them, host Exeter Chiefs, who will have Caitlin Lewis among their replacements, on the opening weekend.
Former Wales captain and coach Rachel Taylor has been appointed as the performance director at Sale Sharks this season and she will have seven Welsh players under her charge. The Sharks host Worcester Warriors, who have 11 Welsh internationals, while reigning champions Harlequins entertain Loughborough Lightning on Sunday.
There will be live streams available from five of the first round fixtures
Allianz Premier 15s – Round 1
Saturday, 4 September
Bristol Bears v Exeter Chiefs
Gloucester-Hartpury v Darlington Mowden Park Sharks
Sale Sharks v Worcester Warriors
Wasps v Saracens
Sunday, 5 September
Harlequins v Loughborough Lightning
