Harlequins Coaches Nick Evans, Adam Jones and Jerry Flannery have signed new and permanent deals with the Club
A Harlequins legend as both a player and coach, Evans is arguably one of the best overseas signings in the Gallagher Premiership’s history, guiding Quins to its first-ever Premiership title in 2012 after arriving from New Zealand in 2008. In 2017 Evans made the switch from player to coach after notching up over 200 appearances and 2249 points over a nine-year playing career at The Stoop. A member of Quins’ title-winning coaching set-up last season, Evans recommits to the Club to extend a 14-year career in London.
A famed 100-Test cap Wales and British and Irish Lions international, Jones extends a seven-year stay with the London side having arrived in 2015 as a player. A year later, Jones’ role changed as he took up a joint playing and coaching position, going on to coach with the Club full-time after retiring from playing at the end of the 2017/18 season.
Former Ireland international Flannery signs a new deal with the Club having arrived ahead of the 2020/21 season to assume the role of Lineout Coach, taking on his current title of Lineout and Defence Coach during Quins’ spectacular Gallagher Premiership-winning run last year.
Senior Coach Tabai Matson said: “The coaching group did an amazing job last year with a fantastic team. It’s always interesting to come from the outside and join a cohesive group – and that’s exactly what they were. They are a high functioning team.
“One thing I’ve really enjoyed is that they’re all completely different. They have different energies, they’re all fantastic within their portfolios and they all compliment each other really well. For me, joining a team like that was exciting. It’s fantastic that they’ve all re-signed as a group.
“What Nick brings to the table is an analytical view. He’s got all that experience from his playing days but now he’s leading and driving the likes of Marcus and Danny. We’re blessed to have him in the mix.
“He’s completely different to Jerry, who brings this real intensity to the way he leads the lineouts and the defence. He’s fantastic practitioner and I’m not sure if it’s just his accent but he’s a wonderful storyteller and he drives a lot of the energy in the week.
“And of course, Bomb [Adam Jones], our Welshman. It’s really an eclectic group of nations, which is one of the things we love about the game, isn’t it?
“Our scrum has often been the thing that’s kept us in games, so with his experience and the way he drives the scrummaging, he’s been a key part of the success here so far.”
Commenting, Harlequins CEO Laurie Dalrymple said: “We are all delighted to have three such highly regarded individuals sign new contracts with the Club. Alongside Billy Millard [Director of Rugby Performance] and Charlie Mulchrone [Skills and Kicking Coach], Nick, Adam and Jerry guided this team to one of the most incredible stories in the Premiership’s history. Overseeing a return to Harlequins’ DNA of old as the team has tapped into the Club’s historic and famous style of play, we have seen huge engagement and interaction not only from our supporters but the wider sporting world.
“Alongside the 17 recent key player contract renewals, we are all thrilled to have Nick, Adam and Jerry commit their futures with us. By signing new and permanent deals within our coaching team working alongside Billy, Charlie and Tabai, we have built a brilliant team to help our squad grow, develop and to achieve our ambitious goals.”
Source – Harlequins Rugby
