WILLIE POCHING hopes his assistant coach Francis Cummins has made a great discovery by bringing Kyle Evans to Rugby League and Wakefield Trinity.
The 30-year-old Welshman has crossed codes and secured a professional deal until the end of the season after a spell on trial at Belle Vue.
Evans, a winger, featured in several Trinity reserves matches and even got a call-up from John Kear to join the Wales squad in the international round two weeks ago.
He has spent the past three seasons playing for Doncaster Knights in the Championship, rugby union’s second tier.
That was where Cummins, who had a spell on the coaching staff at the Knights, was alerted not only to his talent but his potential to transition to Rugby League.
Poching said: “Kyle came in on the advice of our assistant coach, Franny Cummins, who worked with him at Doncaster on the recommendation that, whilst Kyle was a Rugby Union player, for all intents and purposes he was a Rugby League player who had never played the game.
“He has been to Hull FC and had a trial there and at Leeds just before Covid. The opportunity came to have a look at him.
“From the first day, we could see what Franny meant about him being a Rugby League player, with the intent that he trains with and how he works at 100 miles per hour every day.
“He’s picked up every little tip that we’ve given him and has taken his opportunity with both hands.
“We see a lot of growth in Kyle and an opportunity to fine-tune and bring out the Rugby League player in him.
“Hopefully between now and the end of the season we can bring as much of that out as possible and help him progress.
“He’s a fantastic kid and a wonderful athlete, with the appetite to learn and get better.”
Evans played most of his union career in the top Welsh domestic league with Llanelli and later Merthyr, where he won three consecutive titles.
While at Llanelli he was called up by professional club Scarlets and played twice in the Anglo-Welsh Cup, but he moved to Doncaster in 2019.
“I’ve sacrificed quite a lot in rugby for so little and this is an absolutely massive opportunity for me,” said Evans.
“When at Doncaster Knights I met Franny, who got me a trial at Leeds. Unfortunately, Covid cut that short and that opportunity went out of the window.
“To be here now is a real honour for me and I’m over the moon.”
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