HAPPY hooker Jonathan Evans epitomises just why Newport are having such a succssful season, writes Paul Tully.

The 31-year-old Neath-born forward thought his playing days were over after last season and set out to forge a new career for himself.

But when Newport lost James Richards to Leicester, the former youth and schools international was asked to help out and now he completes an amazing 1,500 miles some weeks to fulfil his commitment to the club.

"I thought I'd retired. I was too old for a regional contract and I wasn't headed anywhere. "At my age I've got to forge a career for myself," he said.

"I'd just started a new job (as a sales manger for a company called IPRS based 250 miles away in Ipswich) when Newport phoned and asked me to help out, so that's what I've done.

"At the moment I train Monday nights and try to make the Thursday sessions as well as travelling down for the matches."

Asked if he could maintain such a tiring schedule until the end of the season, he said: "Of course,

"I love it. Unless you're enjoying it there's no point in playing.

"I've had a very good career so far (mainly with Pontypridd and Ebbw Vale) and playing in such a talented young Newport side is the icing on the cake."

Evans (pictured above while playing for Ebbw Vale) realises his commitment doesn't mean he will necessarily play more often than the promising Garry Horrigan, but is happy just to play his part.

"We're nursing Gary along. He's going to be a very, very good player and will be here a very long time," he said.

"But maybe sometimes when you've got to go to some difficult places, that little bit of experience counts."

Evans, scorer of the winning try for Cambridge in the 1995 Varsity match, has a habit of grabbing touchdowns and managed three against Llandovery this season.

"It's great when you have guys like Matthew Veater making the tries for you and I was just fortunate to be on the end of a few last week," he said.

But he is very much a team player and is as keen as anyone that Newport stay top of the Premier Division table,

"I believe we can do that, " he said. "We have a very good bunch of players who are gelling together nicely.

"It's a relatively new team, but there are a lot of talented young players with a couple of old heads like myself, Sven Cronk and Steve Martin putting the foot down when it needs to be put down and just leading the guys. The problem is holding them back because they just want to go and go and go and that's a great attitude to have.

"Confidence is sky high and the skill levels are miles better than a lot of teams we play." But he warns his team-mates to be wary of visitors Carmarthen Quins tomorrow.

"It's going to be very difficult. Ebbw Vale played them last year down there in the cup and we won only in extra time," he said.

"They are a good side and they'll treat this as equally as big a game."

Newport: Craig Richards, Will Kershaw-Naylor, Rhys Shorney, Scott Williams, Richard Payne, Daniel Griffiths, Llyr Lane, Dai Pattison, Jon Evans, Gethin Robinson, Steve Martin, Matthew Veater, Sam Waldron, Gareth Gravell, Rhys Jones Replacements From: Owen Jones, Alex Jerrett, Chris Thomas, Leigh Meades (Jon Evans size), Sven Cronk, Chay Billen, Adam Cox/Marc Popham.