England Rugby’s Steve Borthwick has expressed a desire to bring former Harlequins fly-half Nick Evans on board as part of his coaching staff for the upcoming World Cup. However, negotiations have hit a snag as Harlequins are reportedly insisting on a full-time role for Evans with England before allowing him to leave.
Borthwick, who was appointed England’s head coach this year, has been vocal about his admiration for Evans and the value he would bring to the national team. Evans is currently a skills coach at Harlequins, where he has worked since retiring from playing in 2017.
Despite Borthwick’s efforts to secure Evans’ services, it seems that Harlequins are unwilling to budge on their demands. The club is said to be keen on retaining Evans, and are only willing to let him go if he is offered a full-time role with England.
Adding to the complexity of the situation, England recently announced the appointment of Felix Jones as their new attack coach from next year which has further dampened the prospects of Evans joining England’s coaching staff anytime soon.
With this all in mind, Borthwick may have to explore other options as he seeks to strengthen England’s coaching team ahead of the World Cup.
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