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Jacko's Sporting Almanac: Series 13: The Reformer: Mark Evans

The Reformer: Mark Evans

Series 13

BBC Radio Wales - Jacko's Sporting Almanac, Series 13, The Reformer: Mark Evans

Welshman Mark Evans on when rugby union went professional and he began to sign the stars.

Welshman Mark Evans tells Peter Jackson how he built a team of stars when rugby union turned professional, and how his new job might help Wales' opponents Fiji in the World Cup.

Welshman Mark Evans, self-confessed average player, tells Peter Jackson how he went from playing to coaching to top chief executive, hiring World Cup winners when rugby union went professional, and how his new job in Fiji might help one of Wales’s opponents at the World Cup this year. Evans talks about his start with St Peter’s RFC in Cardiff, time on the terraces supporting Cardiff City at  Ninian Park and Cardiff RFC at the Arm’s Park, to becoming a global evangelist for rugby, mainly Union but a bit of League as well. He was in on the ground floor of professionalism, helping to turn a parks club in North London into an outfit whose name has long been synonymous with success at home and abroad, Saracens – player, captain, coach, chief executive.  He’s held a variety of roles as chief executive of Harlequins, Melbourne Storm Rugby League club, UK Netball Super League and is now running Fiji’s first major professional team, Fijian Drua. Evans provides a fascinating insight into how rugby union changed overnight once payments to players could be made in the open rather than under the table, how chances were missed to develop better competitions for the sport in Britain, and how he brought razzamatazz to pro-rugby.

Jacko's Sporting Almanac: Series 13

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The Reformer: Mark Evans

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