The Harlequins supporters owe Daniel Carter a sincere vote of thanks. The talents of the world’s best fly-half, more than the temptations of hard money, were the prime factor in convincing Nick Evans to change All Black for multicoloured. Had Evans stuck with black, Harlequins would almost certainly not have been at home this afternoon, in with a fantastic chance of making the Heineken Cup semi-finals. Evans produced the greatest four minutes of controlled rugby I have been privileged to see against Stade Français; four pulsating minutes in the wind and rain that opened the way to qualification and home advantage.

Had he been the All Blacks’ regular fly-half there would be no Harlequins versus Leinster. “Why did I quit the All Blacks? I was probably not playing as much as I wanted to play for New Zealand through no fault of mine or anyone else’s. I just had a guy who was the best in the world in front of me. I asked myself if I would play more All Black rugby and the answer was, probably not. Did I want to stay in New Zealand and play Super 14 for five or six years or challenge myself by coming here, especially to a team where I was the only New Zealander?”

The answer was a glorious affirmative. His and the club’s ambitions “just about lay on top of each other” when he discussed the prospect with Dean Richards. Ironically, had he stayed in New Zealand he would have had a clear run at the No 10 shirt for the rest of this calendar year with Carter injured. “Yes, Murphy’s Law, isn’t it? But the first thing I will say is I have no regrets at all. I did not make the decision lightly and knew it would pretty much end my involvement with the All Blacks for a while, which was tough, very tough.”

As tough perhaps for New Zealand as for Evans because there is little doubt he has developed his game further and faster than many would have imagined. The great moment of his Harlequins career to date was that drop goal, the kick that is a neat summation of how Evans the fly-half has matured and balanced his game. The brilliance of the 29-phase move contrasted sharply with the brain drain of little over a year earlier when Evans and the All Blacks apparently panicked their way out of the World Cup instead of finding the killer drop goal to beat France.

“We wanted to play attacking rugby and as a team we thought we would score \. New Zealanders as a whole learnt a lot from that experience in terms of drop goals and the need to score points. It definitely played on my mind in that Stade game. It is funny, we never had a drop goal culture in New Zealand; a routine, yes, but one quite far back. Here it is more part of the game and a great part. At Harlequins we practise routines a lot.”

Some say practice makes perfect, but a lot of inspiration and sheer nerve were also required to steer the Londoners to that epic late win against Stade Français. Evans was the calmest man in the ground, tucked within the eye of the storm.

“Looking back, I was cooler than I thought I would have been. I don’t think I would have been able to go through the whole routine a couple of years earlier; I would have gone for it immediately. Here I thought through the process of goals. When the ball came left \ they rushed too fast and I knew it wasn’t going to happen. Next time, Danny’s \ pass took me right and there wasn’t time.”

What Evans neglects to describe are the two lightning breaks that severed the opposition defence and carried Harlequins ever nearer the posts. He is never going to shout his own odds. The man could be a twentysomething traveller, working the bars of London while seeing the world rather than one of the handful of elite fly-halves on the planet; a delight to talk rugby with but a nightmare to face.

Back to the drop goal. “In the end, we worked the position and I knew we wouldn’t get closer so I went for it. It might have been a different story a few years ago but these are the challenges for which I came over here. I am proud for myself and the team that we stuck together and kept our cool for those 29 phases.”

The kick was an extraordinary finale that reverberated through the rugby world. Wayne Smith, the assistant All Blacks coach, told Evans that because of the epic nature of the two games against the Parisians, his profile in New Zealand had risen higher than ever it did when he played so beautifully for Otago and Auckland.

Nearer his new home the impact of that drop goal resonated. “After the game we were all over the moon but it took a while to see the reaction and emotion of it all. Weeks later, 60-year-olds were saying it was the greatest moment in the club’s history. That’s when it sank in.”

The “it” being the ecstasy the win brought Harlequins. “In New Zealand we have 40,000-capacity stadiums which only get a quarter or half full unless it is a big game.

“Then I come here where it is 12,000 every game; every game, rain, hail or shine. The crowd is close and feels part of the team. It is one of the most impressive things about rugby here. Our supporters are incredibly loyal.”

None is more loyal to Harlequins’ lone Kiwi than Mr Evans Sr, who will watch today’s game in New Zealand. “He’ll love it being live. Not being able to watch my live games breaks him. I have to ring him up and let him know about each game, even if it’s five in the morning back home.”

I ask Evans whether his parents would fly north if he makes the final in Edinburgh. He pauses. “I tell you what; I would pay for my parents to come if we do. It would be a great occasion for them. If we are lucky enough to get to Edinburgh there’s a plane ticket waiting for them.”

There’s a way to go yet but if anybody can take Harlequins to the Promised Land it is Evans. “When I stand in that huddle before the game I will be nervous and excited and I will know there is no other team I would rather be with than Harlequins.”

And there is probably nobody Harlequins would rather have with them. Not even Dan Carter.