TODAYS HERALD WRITES

Family feud can help Scotland as Evans pair try to score points off each other
KEVIN FERRIE February 16 2009
Good-natured sibling rivalry could help transform Scotland's attacking threat after Thom Evans matched brother Max by scoring a try on his RBS 6 Nations debut.

Just six days after Max crossed for Scotland's only touchdown in the defeat by Wales, Thom matched that as they came tantalisingly close to creating an upset in Paris, where the brothers started a Test together for the first time.

Max demonstrated how the brothers think when saying that, while delighted for Thom, his own thoughts had been that he now had the chance to be the match-winner after that 69th-minute try, converted by Chris Paterson, brought Scotland within six points.

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Thom noted that even in the heat of a Test there was time for a bit of a brotherly barney. "There were a couple of occasions that he made breaks and didn't pass me the ball so there was a bit of argy bargy," said Thom. "I felt a bit bad about that afterwards but we are always trying to push one another and I think it helps bring out the best in us."

Max was not the only member of the family who managed to upset Thom at the weekend: his father Brian's arrival, breaking up a holiday in Barbados to witness his sons' big day, meant his reward for his score was a disturbed night.

"He crashed out in my room so I did not get too much sleep with him snoring all night. He had a great time, he said he would not have missed it for the world," laughed Thom.

"Mum Sally would have liked to have made it as well but they had some of our best friends with her in Barbados on a pre-booked holiday and thought she ought to stay with them and keep them company. Dad said he had a great time, it was a great occasion.

"He was over the moon. He had a quiet drink with Moray Low's parents. It was Moray's first cap, I am really chuffed for him. They had a couple afterwards and laughed about what a great day it had been."

It might have been an even better one had it not been for blundering match officials, as the older Evans brother pointed out.

"You can't compare that atmosphere with anything I've ever been involved in," said the 25-year-old, who only became a pro rugby player after Thom told Sean Lineen, their Glasgow Warriors coach, how good his big brother was.

"I was kind of blown away in the warm-up and coming out with the stadium completely full, it was amazing. It makes you realise what you want to play rugby for. It was a great, great experience, but we're just gutted by the loss. "Credit to Gregor Townsend, the backs coach, we organised some back moves that involved me getting involved and having a go. That's what I hope for in every game.

"I felt I could have even tested them a bit more than I did personally, but guys all through the back line were asking questions which is something we can take on into the next three games. The biggest frustration was the feeling that we were going to do it. When Thom scored the try I was saying to the guys, Let's pinch this.' There was confidence from the Toulouse game and winning in France.

"Okay, we're away from home, but we know we've got the talent to win these kind of games, so the frustration was them getting that penalty right after Thom scored. I honestly thought we were going to do it . . . I did! As soon as we got in their half they were panicking. We were running riot."

As Mike Blair, their captain, noted, the Evans brothers have helped give Scottish rugby something of a boost when it was badly needed.

"This lets us take confidence into the next game," he said. "Against the Welsh we were a bit inhibited maybe, but we've shown that we can play in an environment like this. It's a pretty daunting experience playing at a place like Stade de France. We had guys who hadn't been here before who performed at the top level.

"The Evans brothers seemed to be everywhere. Thom didn't get a lot of opportunities but when he did he looked quick. Max started the game very well, as did Simon Danielli. So throughout the side there were impressive performances, but when we get opportunities we've got to take them."

This article was originally posted on 16-Feb-2009, 08:01 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 16-Feb-2009, 12:01.