The 25-year-old took charge of four games last weekend in the opening round of this season’s series in Dubai, but, crucially, his fourth and final game was the Cup final between South Africa and Olympic champions, Fiji.
Evans follows in the footsteps of some illustrious officials who have entered the world stage in sevens before carving out successful international careers. Only eight referees in the past have gained the honour of refereeing a final in their first tournament on the circuit, including Jonathan Kaplan and Steve Lander.
The most recent referee to achieve that illustrious accolade was Matt Stanish in 2007’s Wellington tournament. Evans has already achieved something his mentor, Nigel Owens, was unable to do, as it took Owens three tournaments before he was awarded a coveted final.
“To be appointed the final between Fiji and South Africa was an incredible feeling,” he said in the shadows of Cape Town’s iconic Table Mountain earlier this week.
“I didn’t expect it at all – we were told earlier as a [referee’s] group that probably Richard Kelly or Rasta Rasivhenge would be doing it due to their experience.
“I took on board what people had said – I relaxed – and to be appointed for the final in your first tournament is quite rare – I took the opportunity with both hands and really enjoyed it.
“If anyone had told me before the tournament that I would be reffing the final in my very first tournament, in one of the biggest sevens events in the world, I would have said: ‘you’re lying’ – I wouldn’t have believed it at all.
“I’ve seen Richard and Raf do hundreds of games and they are top drawer referees – it’s nice to be part of that. I had a lot of messages from friends and family before and after the game – it still hasn’t really sunk in – the biggest thing for me now though is I have set myself a standard and I can’t afford to show that it was a one-off.
“Last weekend was massive – the job isn’t done yet – I have to keep my feet firmly on the floor and push on this weekend and show last weekend wasn’t a one-off – I have to maintain those standards and aim to be one of the main referees in this group.”
Evans is hoping to use the sevens circuit as a springboard to further success at the highest level, having one eye on the rapidly approaching Commonwealth Games as well as the next sevens World Cup and Olympics Games.
“Moving forward to the Commonwealth Games, Olympics and possibly even Tokyo in 2019 – I want to be one of those referees competing for the gold medal matches and World Cup matches,” he said.
WRU National Match Officials Manager, Nigel Whitehouse, has no doubt Evans has the credentials to make it at the top.
“We picked up Craig at an early age and he showed huge potential from the outset when he entered our academy programme – which is a system we put in place in 2010 to identify young referees who we considered have potential at the professional end of the game.
“Along with Craig’s achievements we have also seen Ben Whitehouse, Dan Jones and Adam Jones, who are part of the same original intake, officiate at a very high level.
“Craig has progressed quickly through the ranks. He has refereed Anglo-Welsh games, British and Irish Cup fixtures along with Under 20 internationals, including the Junior World Championship.
“Refereeing last weekend’s Cup final, in one of the premier sevens events in world rugby, is the pinnacle of his career to date and hopefully he will go from strength to strength,” added Whitehouse.
