Corey Evans: back from three ACL injuries to score in Northland's first NPC final

Corey Evans has come back from three ACL injuries, in both knees, to play 28 games for the Blues, two for the Māori All Blacks and more than 40 in the NPC. On 26 October 2026 he started at centre for Northland in the province's first NPC final and scored the try that sent them to half-time 21-10 up against Canterbury in Christchurch. Two months earlier the Crusaders had signed the 25-year-old from Waipapakauri in the Far North for 2027 and 2028, and he is in their squad for the new season.

Where he comes from

Evans was born on 11 January 2001 in Waipapakauri, a small settlement on State Highway 1 about 12 kilometres north of Kaitaia, at the isthmus of the Aupōuri Peninsula. He is of Te Aupōuri and Ngāti Kahu descent. He played his junior rugby for Waipapakauri in the Mangonui sub-union, the Northland Age reported, and he came through the representative grades in the Far North with Heremaia Murray, a friend since primary school and later his Northland team-mate. Rugbyhistory.co.nz lists the Far North club Awanui among his clubs.

Auckland Grammar

For his secondary schooling Evans moved to Auckland Grammar School, where he spent three years in the First XV, RugbyPass reports. His second season was cut short by the first of his ACL injuries. In 2018 he captained the Grammar First XV and was selected for the New Zealand Secondary Schools team, which beat Australian Schools 24-12 at Ballymore in Brisbane on 6 October 2018 to finish the Schools Tri-Nations unbeaten. Rivez Reihana, later his Northland team-mate, kicked two conversions and scored a try that day.

Under 20s and Auckland

After school Evans played his club rugby in Auckland for Grammar TEC. At the Super Rugby Under 20 tournament in Taupō in 2021 he scored two tries for the Blues against the Hurricanes and was named player of the day, and in May 2021 coach Tabai Matson named him in the 30-man New Zealand Under 20 squad. The Crusaders' signing announcement records that he was the Blues Development Player of the Year in 2021.

He made his Auckland debut that August, in a 35-24 win over Canterbury at Eden Park on 8 August 2021, the night AJ Lam scored a hat-trick. He played 12 games in 2022 as Auckland reached the semi-finals, and in 2023 he scored three tries in nine games: in a 32-30 win over Bay of Plenty in Tauranga on 6 August 2023, a 41-22 win over Hawke's Bay at Eden Park on 26 August 2023, and a 36-29 win over Canterbury at Eden Park on 9 September 2023. He finished with 23 games and three tries for Auckland.

The Blues

Evans was named in the Blues squad for 2022, and his Super Rugby debut came against the Highlanders at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin on 26 March 2022, a 32-25 win. A week later, in his second game, he scored the opening try of a 46-16 win over Moana Pasifika at Eden Park on 2 April 2022. He played four games that season and two in 2023.

In 2024 he played seven games in the Blues' title-winning season, scoring in a 50-3 win over the Western Force at Eden Park on 5 April 2024. 2025 was his busiest year in blue: 14 games, eight of them starting at fullback, with tries against the Chiefs in Hamilton on 15 March 2025 and in a 46-6 win over the Waratahs at Eden Park on 31 May 2025.

An ankle injury, which he told RugbyPass was to a bone he had never heard of, kept him out of the start of 2026, and his only Super Rugby appearance of the season was a 16-minute outing against the Chiefs in Hamilton on 30 May 2026. He left the Blues with 28 games and four tries.

The Māori All Blacks

When the Māori All Blacks named their squad for a two-match tour of Japan on 25 June 2024, Evans was one of three Blues selected for the first time, with Cole Forbes and Laghlan McWhannell. He won his first cap off the bench in the 59th minute against a Japan XV at Toyota Stadium in Toyota City on 6 July 2024, a 26-14 loss.

A year later he played for the Māori All Blacks in his home province. The team named him on the bench to play Scotland at Semenoff Stadium in Whangārei on 5 July 2025, and he came on in the 58th minute of a 29-26 loss to the touring side.

Home to Northland

Evans signed for Northland from 2024, his club Grammar TEC announced, returning to play for the province he grew up in. He scored in a 47-24 win over North Harbour in Whangārei on 21 September 2024, and again just before half-time in a 27-22 win over Hawke's Bay in Whangārei on 30 August 2025. He played nine games in 2024 and eight in 2025.

Northland's 2026 season was a run of firsts. In round four the Taniwha beat Canterbury 36-12 in Christchurch on 20 August 2026 to win the Ranfurly Shield for the first time since 1978. He did not play that night, but he called it the greatest night of his Northland career. He returned for the 57-42 loss to North Harbour in Albany on 6 September 2026 and then played in the 34-17 Shield defence against Waikato in Whangārei on 12 September 2026, which was halfback Sam Nock's 100th game for Northland. He scored in the 22-19 loss to Counties Manukau in Whangārei on 26 September 2026 that ended the Shield reign, and again in a 28-14 win over Southland in Invercargill on 2 October 2026.

Northland then came back from 14-0 down to beat Tasman 26-21 in their first home quarter-final, in Whangārei on 9 October 2026, and beat Otago 38-19 in their first home semi-final, also in Whangārei, on 16 October 2026. Evans played in both.

On 26 October 2026, Labour Day, Northland played Canterbury in the final at One NZ Stadium in Christchurch, the first NPC final in the province's history. Evans started at centre, opposite Dallas McLeod. Northland led 21-10 at half-time after Evans scored in the 39th minute, but Canterbury scored five second-half tries to win 43-24. Evans finished the season with three tries in eight games, and 25 games and five tries for Northland in total.

The Crusaders

On 13 August 2026 the Crusaders announced that Evans would join them for the 2027 and 2028 seasons. The club described him as a versatile back who can cover midfield, first five-eighth and fullback, and noted the resilience he had shown in overcoming his ACL injuries. "The Crusaders are known for their high standards and winning culture," Evans said. He added that he was "pretty keen to play in that new stadium" in Christchurch.

He told RugbyPass that the chance to play alongside Rivez Reihana, his Northland captain and a Crusader, was part of the appeal.

Style and standing

The Māori All Blacks' profile calls him "a skilful and composed midfielder" and highlights his distribution, defence and ability to break the line. The Crusaders signed him as a utility who can play three positions across the backline. His own description of his game, given to RugbyPass in 2024, was a player who takes the ball to the line and wants to be a threat as a runner, kicker and passer.

Where he is now

Evans has not played a Test for any country. He is not in the Blues squad for 2027: on 28 October 2026 the Crusaders named him among their midfielders, as one of two new midfield signings with Jake Te Hiwi, alongside Leicester Fainga'anuku, Toby Bell and Cooper Roberts, under new head coach Scott Hansen. He is contracted to the Crusaders to the end of the 2028 season.

Career at a glance

Auckland, Northland (to 2025), Blues and Māori All Blacks figures are from rugbyhistory.co.nz and agree with RugbyPass's season records and Wikipedia's list of Blues players. Northland's 2026 figures (eight games, three tries) are RugbyPass's and match the try-scorers in Wikipedia's 2026 NPC match records.