Man of the moment remains modest as ever

Gonzalo Camacho's 77th-minute score saw Quins get to within a point of a Stade Francais side who had been the dominant force throughout the second-half.

And with everyone else in the Cardiff City Stadium going absolutely wild, Evans somehow stayed calm to send his kick straight through the uprights from just five metres in from the right-hand touchline.

"The boys will say I'm paid to do it," was Evans' own assessment of his perfectly-struck conversion under the greatest of pressures.

"It's what all those hours on the training pitch are about. It's why kickers all around the world put in the hours on the training pitch for moments like that.

"I'm just thankful that I had a bit of luck and it went over."

Quins led 9-6 at the break in the Welsh capital but it was all Stade in the second-half as three more Lionel Beauxis penalties and a monster drop goal from full back Martin Rodriguez swung the game in the Parisians' favour.

But Evans and co showed the never-say die attitude that saw them secure a semi-final victory over Munster when they were down to 14 men for the closing stages in Limerick.

Stade failed to put Quins away despite their dominance as Conor O'Shea's men demonstrated exactly why they have only conceded 26 tries in 22 domestic fixtures this season.

"We've done it all year. There have been so many games that we've won our lost by a single score so it shows that we never give up," added Evans, whose efforts mean Quins will now compete in the Heineken Cup next season after following up previous Challenge Cup victories in 2001 and 2004.

"It's about the character of the guys and the character that Conor has brought to the Club.

"We live and die by the sword with the way we play. It wasn't pretty today but we scored more points than they did and that's fine with us.

"Seven years has been a long time for Quins to be without a trophy and I'm just so pleased for the guys and for our fans.

"Qualifying for the Heineken Cup means everything. We all want to play in the Heineken Cup. We feel we should be there and we're so happy with that."