David Evans (rugby)


David "Dave" Alexander Evans was a New Zealand dual-code international who represented New Zealand in both rugby union and rugby league.

Playing career

Rugby union

Evans began his career playing rugby union and represented Hawke's Bay 19 times from 1906. He made the 1910 New Zealand tour of Australia and played in the 0–11 Test defeat by Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground on 27 June 1910, becoming the Hawke's Bay's third representative.

Rugby league

While in Australia Evans had been impressed by the rugby league code and in 1911 he was instrumental in helping persuade three Hawke's Bay clubs—Clive, Ahuriri and Kia Toa—to switch en masse to rugby league. A Hawke's Bay representative, he represented New Zealand on the 1912 tour of Australia, where no test matches were played.