Harlequins fly-half Nick Evans has admitted the fall-out from the Bloodgate scandal has affected the side’s start to the Guinness Premiership season.

The former All Black kicked a late penalty to earn a 17-17 draw at Newcastle Falcons last week to end a three match losing streak that had left the side at the foot of the table.

Quins, who reached the Heineken Cup quarter-finals and the play-off semi-finals last season, are yet to win a competitive game since director of rugby Dean Richards resigned over the infamous Tom Williams affair and received a three-year worldwide ban from the game.

Evans, who unveiled the Stoop’s impressive new 4,100-seat South Stand this week, insists they are approaching the sort of form that brought them many admirers under the former chief.

And the 29-year-old says Saturday’s visitors Bath, who have also attracted the wrong sort of headlines over the summer, could feel the full force of the side’s fury.

“We came out and said that it hadn’t affected us and that we were pretty tight knit group, but it did really,” he said.

“Everything being said about us was negative and there was a lot of negativity around the club. It is hard to shake that off as a player when everyone from the outside sees us in such a bad light,.

“It has taken three or four games to get into the groove of things and worry about playing the game rather than the negativity.

“We need a win, there is no doubt about it. The way the table is at the moment means a couple of wins puts us back in the mix.

“The excuses of the summer have gone. It is time for us to put the results on the field and play the way we know we can.

“We are not too far away from playing our best rugby, the sort of stuff that brought us so much success last year.”

The weekend’s clash will signal the end of World Cup winning hooker Gary Botha’s stay with the club having negotiated an early release from his contract to return home to South Africa.

Evans concedes his departure will be a big loss, but is confident the club has the resources to cope.

“Gary is a world class player, has experience, leads by example and is a big voice for the younger players coming through. He will be a big loss.

“But we’ve got Tani Fuga - a club legend - and Chris Brooker behind him. While we lose the professionalism and experience of Gary, talent wise we’ll more than fill the gap and will probably gain some youthful exuberance.”

Botha maybe on his way, but Evans - who has another year left on his contract - is not thinking of following suit.

“This place is home. The whole place has that familiar feel about it and I feel I know what Quins are all about,” he said, sitting in the new stand that has taken capacity at Langhorn Drive to 14,200.

“It is my home for rugby and I’m looking forward to playing more. I was frustrated by a few injuries last season, so it is nice to get that consistency of playing back.

“Hopefully, that continues and I can get some good performances on the field to help get the team performance up there.”

Harlequins next three games: Oct 10 Cardiff Blues (HCup, a), 17 Toulouse (HCup, h), 24 Worcester (a).