Ex-Wales star has as he starts new

THE life of a professional rugby player is anything but the glitz and glamour it is often perceived to be.

- STEFFAN THOMAS

One season can bring international honours and just a few years later an injury can throw a career into limbo. For everyone but the select few, it is a tough old slog, which can be extremely rewarding but also extremely cruel at times.

Steff Evans has experienced both sides of the coin during a career which yielded 13 Wales caps and a remarkable 74 tries for his beloved Scarlets.

But, as he turns just 31 this week, Evans is forging a new career for himself after struggling to find a contract in the professional game.

Alongside a new job, he will play semiprofessional rugby and for Carmarthen Quins.

"I'll be honest with you, I was looking to go elsewhere in the pro game, but things just didn't pan out," he says.

"The market at the moment for rugby is pretty bad in general, so I'm not going to hide away from the fact I was looking to go elsewhere in the pro game but no offers came to the table.

"I've got a bit of a connection with Carmarthen, being from the area, so I know a lot of players and some of the staff there.

"Thanks to Brian Jones [a Scarlets board member and Castell Howell owner] I have got a job as an ESG Engagement Officer with Castell Howell.

"Basically, I go into schools and colleges to promote healthy eating. It's basically nutritional value stuff.

"I'm working closely with Welsh farmers and helping them get their stock into Castell Howell and using that then within schools.

"I actually did what my job entails when I was at the Scarlets. I did a talk in a school about nutrition with a guy from Castell Howell who is now my boss.

"Healthy eating is important, which I appreciate having kids myself. When you have children and you see the state of the way healthy eating isn’t that big any more, it is quite a valuable asset."

The professional game, especially in Wales, is unpredictable at the moment and it is a lot harder to get contracts than it was just a few years ago.