Lynn Evans, who over the past 40 years has contibuted more to Oxfordshire rugby than any other individual, was honoured at a special dinner.

The function, organised by the Oxfordshire RFU, was to mark Evans's retirement as the county's rugby development officer.

Evans, who stepped down last autumn, was presented with a leather-bound copy of the original laws of rugby, by Oxfordshire RFU president Ian Kempson.

His successor as Oxfordshire RDO is Jason Blowers, from Tring.

But the 65-year-old Welshman's involvement with rugby has not come to an end.

The RFU have asked him to fill the vacant RDO position in Wiltshire and he is still director of rugby at Chinnor.

Evans's involvement in Oxfordshire rugby started in 1962, when he came to teach at Littlemore Grammar School.

Evans introduced rugby into the school with such success that it produced a stream of good players, including Ian Rae, who went on to play for Richmond, and Mick Channer, who won an Oxford Blue.

At the time, Evans was playing fly half or centre for Oxford RFC.

But in 1976, he became founder member of Littlemore RFC, where he played for five years, during which they beat Oxford in one of the biggest shocks in the history of the Oxfordshire Cup.

In 1980, he became a part-time coach for Oxford University and his second game in charge was against the touring Australians.

"I remember that Australia won 19-11 and that our try came from winger Derek Wyatt, who is now an MP," recalled Evans, who also helped develop the talents of Stuart Barnes.

"The best Oxford University side in my time was in 1988, when we had the likes of New Zealand captain David Kirk, Australian internationals Ian Williams and Troy Coker, plus future Wales centre David Evans.

"That side was a match for any club team in the country at the time."

Evans, a disciple of the coaching ideas of legendary French full back Pierre Villepreux, carried on looking after the Dark Blues until 1995.

Then he was fully involved as Oxon's first youth development officer, which evolved into a wider role.

"One of my aims was to improve the level of coaching in Oxfordshire. I'm proud of the fact that we have more level four and level three coaches than other counties of a comparable size."

Evans also went around schools encouraging them to get more involved in rugby, setting up links between schools and local clubs.

In conjunction with the RFU, he has produced a CD called 'Rugby Understanding the Moving Game', based on the coaching methods of Villepreux.