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#Post#: 146641--------------------------------------------------
Nick Evans
DIR By: BillyandCo
Date: December 27, 2025, 8:11 am
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Great player - if not one of the best to ever wear the shirt -
but can he remain as attack coach (a coach full stop) given our
current situation? I’d also be interested to hear thoughts on
whether he has been part of our problem(s) (especially in terms
of mentality) over the years he has been coaching. I always fell
he’s been too positive or rather naive when asked questions
about what needs to be fixed etc.
#Post#: 146642--------------------------------------------------
Re: Nick Evans
DIR By: DOK
Date: December 27, 2025, 8:23 am
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I've been impressed by Nick's chats to the microphone during
games, he clearly knows the coaching end of life.
However, don't we have the worst record in the Prem for turning
red zone presence into points?
Why is that? Do we not have a good plan when we get there? Does
Northmore always drop the ball and ruin it? Have defences worked
us out and blunted us? Has the coach gave us a great plan and we
can't carry it out? Or is it a rotten plan? Are we playing
people out of position and they haven't adapted?
#Post#: 146645--------------------------------------------------
Re: Nick Evans
DIR By: Quinky
Date: December 27, 2025, 8:49 am
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The issue with blaming coaches is that the same coaches were in
place when we were champions. Have they suddenly become poor?
Have they failed to evolve? Have opponents simply worked us out?
In terms of Evans, it could be argued that our attack is very
good, hence we get into the 22 a hell of a lot. What's failing
is conversion. Players dropping the ball at key moments is what
ruins the stats. Is that the coach's fault?
For a different perspective, consider the coach that we lost.
Has it all gone bad since Flannery left? He's certainly gone on
to more success.
I think the problem is more with the players than the coaches.
Yesterday Marcus made a howler and it cost us 7 points.
Ordinarily these things happen very rarely, but Marcus has
looked out of sorts for weeks.
The players won't be happy with results and performances.
They're professionals. But is there something else behind the
scenes that they're unhappy about?
For me the thing I struggle with is selection. I like Northmore
but he's just not playing well, especially at 12. Waghorn us
listed as unavailable one week, then benches the following week
and does well. But then goes back to being unavailable. And
don't get me started on Chis, whom I think could be just what we
need - an aggressive big hitter to lift everyone.
The one bright light from the last two games is Hobson. He's
taken his chance and shone. Maybe we should be giving a few more
of those chances to the youngsters. We've got nothing to lose.
#Post#: 146647--------------------------------------------------
Re: Nick Evans
DIR By: T-Bone
Date: December 27, 2025, 9:01 am
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Our attack is really poor. Northmore at 12 is a dreadful
selection. Is Evans to blame? If not, and his plans or selection
input are being overruled, he should probably stand aside anyway
as a matter on principle
#Post#: 146649--------------------------------------------------
Re: Nick Evans
DIR By: BillyandCo
Date: December 27, 2025, 9:13 am
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But when you say “our success,” it’s worth remembering that this
success—fantastic though it was—lasted for roughly half a
season. Before and after that extraordinary title charge, was
our attacking structure or plan actually that good?
#Post#: 146653--------------------------------------------------
Re: Nick Evans
DIR By: KentQuin
Date: December 27, 2025, 9:25 am
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We have zero go-forward. We're being smashed backwards on the
gainline. To be fair to Nev, it's incredibly difficult to
execute an attacking gameplan under these circumstances. And
this is why our red zone efficiency is down. The players are
pushing it, looking to throw the extra pass or miracle offload,
because they know we can't recycle the ball and go again.
When we won the title our attack was sensational however, we had
the best scrum in the league by a distance which gave us a
reliable platform, plus we had players who could make the hard
yards, in traffic, and give us or keep momentum, the likes of
Andre or Wilco who would make another half metre when they had
no right to do so.
Blackett has been plauded for his work at Bath and rightly so.
But look at the platform set by the forwards.
It's only really Vesty at Saints who's regularly put together a
very decent attack without, I'd argue, a particularly strong
pack at times.
Set the foundations and I'm sure our attack will bounce back.
As for the rest of this season, they need to take Northmore out
of the firing line at 12, or at least stop asking him to crash
it up off first phase from a 5 metre pass. He ran a couple of
nice short lines in the Leinster game, off first phase, cutting
back against the grain, but since then opposition are wise to
it. If they are going to persist with him at 12, the ball needs
to go wider so he can use his footwork. Hopefully Waghorn is fit
again soon. If not, maybe take a punt on one of our quicker
backrow forwards at 12 for a game. Someone like Lawday maybe.
Desperate times but may as well give it a go. That'd be my main
criticism of Nev in terms of persisting with a plan in Northmore
at 12 thar clearly hasn't worked however, his hands have been
tied with the players available.
#Post#: 146654--------------------------------------------------
Re: Nick Evans
DIR By: mrpj1985
Date: December 27, 2025, 9:25 am
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It lasted for the season after too to be honest. Then Danny
Wilson arrived and the joy left.
#Post#: 146660--------------------------------------------------
Re: Nick Evans
DIR By: SiB
Date: December 27, 2025, 9:54 am
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Interesting point, but have to ask what’s happened since we won
the prem and also did well in Champs cup
Not sure if others have worked us out or is it simply wrong
players in position
Don’t see how you coach consistently knocking on and fumbles,
maybe credit to opposition players ?
#Post#: 146661--------------------------------------------------
Re: Nick Evans
DIR By: JammyGit
Date: December 27, 2025, 9:57 am
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Skills coaching is a thing, though. And even the most charitable
Quins fan would have to admit that our attacking structure is
very simplistic and we often look devoid of ideas beyond "hope
Marcus can create something from nothing" when "run an obvious
line into a set defence" doesn't work.
#Post#: 146662--------------------------------------------------
Re: Nick Evans
DIR By: MaidstoneQuin
Date: December 27, 2025, 10:20 am
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--- Quote from: TW10 link ---
>
> But when you say “our success,” it’s worth remembering that
this success—fantastic though it was—lasted for roughly half a
season. Before and after that extraordinary title charge, was
our attacking structure or plan actually that good?
>
--- End Quote ---
Spot on. I think people forget for the larger periods when we’ve
been guff under Gustard/Matson/Wilson they were in post. The
coaches are a cog in the problem for sure, and getting worse.
We’ve had over th last season and a half some bad results,
including Exeter, Gloucester, Bristol..no big response ever
came. There’s simply no motivation and I think looking at the
body language the team are fed up and simply are bored. It’s
like having that girlfriend and you’ve been together a few years
and it’s just run its course. Add in blends of the CEO,
recruitment, and it explains why we are where we are
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