Evans underwent surgery in the first week of January after suffering the injury as he scored a try for the Ospreys against Cardiff and has not played since.

He took himself off on holiday with friends in an effort to cheer himself up - and decided while in Lanzarote he would bust a gut to get back.

“It was a difficult time. I went away with my mates to try and forget about rugby. If you had come to me six months ago and asked whether I had a chance to go to the World Cup the answer would probably have been no,” he said.

“But I needed that week in Lanzarote to re-energise, get myself back into the mood and set myself the target of being in the World Cup training camp.

“I achieved that – the next one is to make the World Cup which is every player’s ultimate goal.”

To make it harder still, Evans was beginning his rehab during the RBS 6 Nations and he could only watch as Wales struggled.

It also made him realise that just getting fit again might not be enough as Ospreys team-mate Alun-Wyn Jones made a similar impression as Evans had in the autumn.

But that only served to drive him on harder – and that determination has manifested itself in some incredible fitness stats.

Over the last six weeks, Evans has replaced eight kilograms of body fat with muscle, increased his leg strength by 45% and upper body strength by 30%.

Evans has also improved his endurance levels and knocked one hundredth of a second off both his 40metre time and his 10metre time.

Without playing, it was the only way Evans could prove to head coach Gareth Jenkins and the rest of the Wales management team that he is ready for the World Cup.

“In the Six Nations Alun-Wyn Jones stepped up to play second row and he had a phenomenal tournament. You can’t rely on what you have done in the past. You have to do things in the present and that is what counts,” said Evans.

“You can sit on your backside all day and feel sorry for yourself – but if you do that you are just going to be stuck where you are.

“You will not strive for any of the things you have set yourself. To be involved in the World Cup is everybody’s major goal and I knew if I knuckled down this would be a realistic goal.

“Everything I have done – my weights, fitness sessions – I have improved.”

Evans is set to be included on Friday and play in next weekend’s clash with Argentina at the Millennium Stadium. After so long in the gym he is itching to get the ball in his hands again.

And so are Wales. Ian Gough is the only other specialist lock who appears guaranteed a place in the squad – Alun-Wyn Jones, Jonathan Thomas and Michael Owen also play back-row – and Wales struggled against England on Saturday.

Neither Robert Sidoli nor Will James produced a performance against England’s dominant pack which demanded selection and the lineout struggled badly.

“I have been out of the game for a long time and you miss every part of the game,” said Evans.

“Playing against Argentina would be massive for me.”