Everitt at the heart of eclectic Exiles

When English rugby held its equivalent of the Oscars at the Dorchester Hotel in Park Lane last May, the biggest names in the game stepped forward to receive their awards. And then there was Barry Everitt. It was as if Jack Duckworth had materialised in Hollywood.

Everitt, the London Irish stand-off, was honoured as the Zurich Premiership Supporters' Player of the Season. Whether or not London Irish fans had bombarded the voting system with emails and phone calls, it made a novel change from seeing Martin Johnson, Lawrence Dallaglio or Jonny Wilkinson on the stage.

London Irish have been anonymous, finishing eighth in the Premiership in the last two seasons. Most observers predicted that by next spring, the Exiles would be facing relegation. And few fancied their chances of beating Harlequins at the Stoop in the opening game last weekend. London Irish won 32-21, Everitt scoring 22 points from five penalties, two conversions and a drop goal. He did not miss a kick.

After Quins had fought back in the second half, it was Everitt who finished them off with a cross-kick to the unmarked wing Jarrod Cunningham. At the end Everitt exchanged a few words with his opposite number Paul Burke and within 10 minutes was driving back to his flat in Twickenham. "It was a very physical game on a hot day and I felt wrecked," he said. "I just wanted to go home and relax. You don't have much energy for a wild life."

He was not tempted to celebrate with the supporters who had helped to make him the player of the season. Nor did he have a word with the Ireland coach, Warren Gatland, who was at the match. "I didn't know he was there. I also didn't realise until after the game that I had a 100 per cent kicking record. It was a beautiful day and conditions were perfect."

The 25-year-old Everitt, a self-taught goal- kicker, has played for Ireland Under-18, Under-21, and the A team. "I would love to win a full cap, but to stand a chance of that London Irish would have to take a foothold in the league and put the club in the shop window."

Burke is in Gatland's national squad, but the only London Irish man who has been recognised is the flanker Kieron Dawson. There again there aren't that many Irishmen left at the club. Dick Best, who was replaced by the South African Brendan Venter at the end of last season, had recruited heavily from the southern hemisphere, but there has been a turnover of 50 players in the last three years. The Exiles are more likely to come from the South Sea Islands than the Emerald Isle.

Everitt is an exception. He was approached by Best and the captain, Conor O'Shea, and joined from Leinster in July last year. In 24 appearances he scored 327 points, an average of almost 14 points a game in a side that were struggling to make their mark. At the Madejski Stadium in Reading today Everitt will be opposite Stephen Bachop, the Samoan/All Black, who was one of Best's men at the Irish and is now a pivotal figure in the emergence of Leeds.

"He knows a lot about how we play," Everitt said. "Many people took Leeds for granted but their fantastic win over Bath has put a stop to all that."

Bachop's inside knowledge maybe out of date. Dr Venter was with the Irish from 1997-99, leaving not only to rejoin his medical practice in Cape Town but to regain his place in the Springboks midfield. He made a big impression at Sunbury, however, and when O'Shea asked him to come back he agreed todo so only on his terms – as player-coach.

"When I first listened to Brendan I realised he would be of huge benefit," Everitt said. "He's been there and done it at the highest level and is very good at passing on that knowledge. He's had the full benefit of the professional era. He's level-headed when the pressure is on and it gives me extra confidence to have a player of such quality alongside me.

"In a couple of months I've learnt so much, particularly about lines of running he's introduced in attack. He knows what's going through your mind and he also knows when players are tired and bodies are sore. It's very easy to believe what he says."

What Venter talks about is democracy. He took the players to a pub on the Thames at Sunbury and asked them for their views. "Everybody had an input," Everitt said. "We came up with ideas on every aspect and reached a consensus that everybody was happy with. He also allows freedom of expression on the field."

All this is quite different from the Best regime. Dick was a successful coach who had a reputation as a disciplinarian. Player power was not part of his philosophy. Last season the scrum-half Junior Tonu'u was released because the club felt he had not maintained necessary levels of fitness. Tonu'u is taking London Irish to an industrial tribunal, claiming racial discrimination. The club are contesting the case, although if Tonu'u joins another Premiership club it is unlikely to be heard: there is a Premiership agreement that no side will employ a player who is taking action against a member club.

After partnering Tonu'u, Everitt has a new scrum-half in Darren Edwards, who left Newport because they were signing Joost van der Westhuizen. The collapse of that deal resulted in Newport attempting to re-sign Edwards. "There's controversy everywhere," Everitt said with a smile. "I didn't know much about Darren and he didn't know much about me, but what I do know is I don't want him to go back to Newport."

One man who is leaving is the chief executive, Geoff Huckstep. After three hard years which have seen London Irish move from Sunbury to the Stoop to the Madejski Stadium, he is taking charge of the new national ice centre in Nottingham.

By rights, Everitt should not be playing rugby. He was born in Tipperary. "Everybody plays hurling. Whenever I meet Irish people and tell them where I'm from it comes as a pretty big shock to them that I'm not playing Gaelic sport. My father was one of the very few people from Tipperary to play rugby. He played on the wing for Munster and introduced me to the game."

Everitt was a centre at St Munchins College, Limerick, played on the wing for Ireland youth and found himself at stand-off for Garryowen. Irish warmed up with five days in Kinsale during which they beat Munster in Cork. One of their tries came from an Everitt cross-kick to Cunningham.

"We weren't very expansive before, but Brendan thinks the entertainment factor is important, not just so we can enjoy playing rugby but for the spectators. The only problem with Brendan is that you can't lie to him about your health."