Jarrod Evans: Cardiff and Wales fly-half may depart over financial stalemate
- Published
Jarrod Evans won the last of his eight caps against Argentina in 2021
Jarrod Evans admits he may be forced to quit Welsh rugby this summer due to the game's financial stalemate in Wales.
The Cardiff and Wales fly-half is out of contract at the end of the season and is yet to have talks on a new deal.
He said players feel powerless over their futures with no agreement in place between the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) and the four regions.
Cardiff head coach Dai Young believes a deal is "just around the corner" but fears players will leave.
Evans, 26, has played more than 120 times for Cardiff since breaking through the ranks in 2015.
He has totalled 740 points for his home region but now fears he will have to put his family and livelihood before any ambition to stay.
"This is my last season on my contract and I've got to do what's best for my family," he said.
"It's not nice because the decision of our future has almost been taken out of the players' hands.
"It's very stressful and is in the back of a lot of players' minds. I honestly don't know how the boys are performing the way they are in this climate.
"It's not something I've ever experienced as a professional player. Normally contracts are all sorted by December, but we're going into February and still there's no chat.
"It's important for the good of Welsh rugby that it gets sorted as quickly as possible."
Evans is one of an estimated 70 professional players in Wales who are out of contract in June, with the regions unable to open negotiations until a deal with the WRU is done.
Team-mates Rhys Priestland and Max Llewellyn have already said they are leaving Cardiff this summer. Dragons lock Will Rowlands is joining Racing 92 and Ospreys have admitted they fear they will lose prop Nicky Smith.
Dai Young says it is no surprise that players are talking to potential new clubs
Cardiff director of rugby Young said it is inevitable that more players are already holding talks with clubs outside of Wales given the insecurity.
"Agents wouldn't be doing their job if they weren't already looking at alternatives," said Young.
"That doesn't meant players want to leave or that they will leave. I don't think there are lots of players who want to run away from Welsh rugby.
"I genuinely believe all the regions are moving forward but these are difficult times."
'Deal around corner'
Young says "people are understandably getting very anxious" about the financial situation in Welsh rugby but he believes "there's something not too far around the corner".
"I've said that before, probably more in hope, but I don't think we're far away and it can't come quick enough," Young added.
WRU chief executive Steve Phillips said a new financial agreement with Cardiff, Dragons, Scarlets and Ospreys will be secured in the next month.
In December 2022, the Professional Rugby Board (PRB) said it had reached "a new six-year framework" to resolve the game's financial issues.
Evans knows under current rules, leaving Wales would end his international hopes, though he missed out on selection for the Six Nations despite his strong early-season club form.
He said: "I was disappointed. I was very happy with my form and feeling that I was playing well enough to get selected.
"But it's one man's opinion and a game plan and maybe I'm not the right fit for that game plan."