"Third division" - International rugby star signs with hometown club
Rugby NewsMonday, 07 August 2023 at 08:59
After retiring from the professional game, Rob Evans, the former Wales prop, will make a comeback to his hometown club, Haverfordwest RFC.
The 31-year-old had a stint with Dragons in the previous season, participating in 11 matches following his release from Scarlets in May 2022.
Evans was a cornerstone of Wales' 2019 Grand Slam success in an international career of 39 caps.
"I am really excited about joining the Blues and putting something back into the town," Evans said.
"It feels like the right time to repay the people who helped me on the ladder at the start of my career."
The move has been criticised by Progressive Rugby, who question the props return to the field following a number of worrying head injuries.
Other international rugby stars who are still playing...
We take a look at five former top-flight rugby players who are somehow still lacing up their boots most weekend's.
#1. Tom Varndell
Oxford Harlequins welcomed the former premiership record try scorer who will take on a dual role combining his rugby management career with his exceptional rugby talent.
Varndell has agreed to assume the position of Head of Rugby at Oxford Brookes University, which has close links to Oxford Harlequins.
In addition to his management role, he will also become the Head of Community at the club, while still playing for the team.
Marcus Boswell, the student sport manager at Oxford Brookes had the following to say about their star capture;
“To secure someone of Tom’s calibre, as a coach and a mentor, is of great excitement for both our current and prospective students who are looking to play rugby union,
“It goes without saying that the relationship between Oxford Brookes and Oxford Quins continues to go from strength to strength, and this announcement is another indication of that.
“We will continue to work hard in all areas of our sporting delivery and wider area of activity together, and reap the successes both on and off the pitch for our student athletes.”
#2. Sean O'Brien
The former Ireland and Lions flanker returned to Leinster, this summer, to take up a coaching role with a side he won multiple league and European titles with O'Brien.
However, he just couldn't stay retired, making his rugby comeback with Naas RFC.
O'Brien had been seeking to play for his club, Tullow, when he returned from his professional rugby stint in England, with London Irish.
That move to a junior-level side was prevented when the domestic level section of the Leinster Rugby branch stated it would be going against safety guidelines for a just retired professional to immediately drop down to play at that level.
#3. Joe Simpson
Simpson joined seventh tier Old Priorians in February, and made his debut for the Saints the following weekend against London Sussex.
The scrum-half - who made 230 appearances for Wasps in the Premiership (along with spells for Gloucester, Bath and Sale) and played for England at the 2011 World Cup - retired from the professional game in December 2022 and follows his brother Michael in pulling on the OPs shirt.
#4. Mike Tindall
England legend and World Cup winner Tindall plays a selection of matches for Minchinhampton, the club close to his home.
The centre played outside centre for Bath and Gloucester, and won 75 caps for England between 2000 and 2011. He was a member of the England squad which won the 2003 World Cup.
#5. Phil Vickery
The World Cup-winning tighthead has played in four or five charity games this season and doesn't appear to have lost a step.
He retired with 73 England caps and five Test appearances for the Lions, three of them against Australia in 2001 and two versus the Springboks in 2009.Advertisement
Although he missed the 2003 Grand Slam campaign through injury, Vickery returned to play a key role in England's World Cup triumph in Australia.
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- Jordie Barrett over Damian de Allende is far from being correct. The hype around Dupont is also overreaching, he's probably 4th in the world and has been since the 2023 WC. He also avoids certain matchups which is strange. The rest of the list is pretty good apart from minor subjective biases.JasonMarlow16-09-2026
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