he was a member of the new zealand national side, the all blacks, from 1947 to 1954. but for injury, (bevan had either fallen from a truck or had been hit by a truck near the front line at the end of the war), he may well have played for the famous new zealand team which in 1945–46 toured britain and france. the trials for the team were held in austria and bevan had shown such good form that his selection had been a certainty.