I agree. Although as I said earlier in the thread, Dombrandt is already bringing a good offloading game and Esterhuizen’s arrival gives us a different option in midfield. Personally, I’d rather have my 8 and 12 offloading than my 7.

I think Evans’ relative lack of rugby over the past few seasons has led to him being off the radar, but it isn’t that long ago that Eddie Jones saw enough potential in him to call him up to an England training camp. It’s a bit like Lewis Ludlam - he won the player of the tournament in the U20 RWC and then took ages to breakthrough at Saints (for various reasons). As soon as he got a run of games he made the England squad. I can see a similar situation for Evans although with some much competition in the back row for England, that might just meaning him being a top player for us which is fine with me!

I think Evans’ relative lack of rugby over the past few seasons has led to him being off the radar, but it isn’t that long ago that Eddie Jones saw enough potential in him to call him up to an England training camp. It’s a bit like Lewis Ludlam - he won the player of the tournament in the U20 RWC and then took ages to breakthrough at Saints (for various reasons). As soon as he got a run of games he made the England squad. I can see a similar situation for Evans although with some much competition in the back row for England, that might just meaning him being a top player for us which is fine with me!

Never said that Evans is a poor player,
He's a good player but we thin whe needs a stronger player than Evans to replace Robshaw.
If he then becomes a very strong player, I am very happy.
So one day he could play for England?
mmmmmmm......

Never said that Evans is a poor player,
He's a good player but we thin whe needs a stronger player than Evans to replace Robshaw.
If he then becomes a very strong player, I am very happy.
So one day he could play for England?
mmmmmmm......

Why not? He’s nowhere near at the moment but he was one of our best players when we won the U20 RWC. His career hasn’t really taken off yet, but the potential is there.

If you’d have asked anyone at the start of the 18/19 season which flankers would make the RWC squad, I doubt anyone would have picked Ludlam. My point is that sometimes it takes players a little longer to achieve their potential. I wouldn’t write him off. I think he has the ability, but he’s unfortunate to be competing with some of the best young flankers in world rugby.

Offloads can be great but can be a liability. All about context.

When we were actually winning - remember those days? - we had a number of players who could offload AND the support runners to take advantage of it. Mo, CR, Easter, most of the backline.  We then spent several years with that largely missing and mediocre/dismal results followed.

Kunatani is the sort of player who fits the Quins mould.  I think he was under-utilized and it's a shame we are losing him.

Evans was a hotly tipped player in the U20s - ahead of both the Currys and Ludlam -  but he's been unlucky with injuries and we haven't seen enough of him yet to form a view.

Is he good enough to be a replacement for one or both Robshaws? Hard to say. Chris is one of the greatest back rows Quins has ever had, even in a long list of great back rows. But if you'd asked me three years ago whether we'd find a replacement for Nick Evans or Nick Easter, I'd have been sceptical.

Is he good enough - if fit - to hold down a first team place? I think he probably is. From what I have seen, he's a fetcher in the mould of Will Skinner which makes him a good complement to Dombrandt, Lawday and Baby Chis.