THE SCOTSMAN REPORTS

Published Date: 26 August 2009
By DAVID FERGUSON
MAX Evans will not start for Glasgow in the opening match of the new Magners League season, but the Scotland centre who proved the major find of last season is hopeful that his return from injury will come the following week.
Evans suffered a severe knee injury in a league clash with the Ospreys last May, tearing the medial ligament and cartilage in a knee, and chipping part of a bone. He spent the next two months on crutches and has since been rehabilitating in a heavy series of gym, weights and pool sessions.

However, representing Glasgow at yesterday's Magners League launch in Limerick, the 25-year-old was in upbeat mood.

"I am excited now because I don't think it's far away for me," he said. "Everything has gone great up until now, with no niggles or anything, and I'm hoping to start jogging on Thursday and Friday this week. A lot will then depend on how the jogging goes. I've been wanting to run for the past two weeks but you have to stick to the schedule.

"The Scarlets game in the second week or the game after that (away to the Dragons] is when I want to be back. I want to be back as quick as I can for Glasgow, really, and I've also got the autumn Tests in the back of my mind. I've already built my leg muscle up so if things go well this week, and I start running without any problems, and I am able to step off it again like I did, it should then be about three weeks until I'm back."

Evans has been a frustrated watcher through Glasgow's pre-season matches in France and last week's Scotland training camp. He revealed that he had managed to get in some golf at St Andrews with new team-mate Chris Cusiter – the former professional golfer insisted he knows how to play the game without a proper swing to protect the knee – and, after the side slumped to seventh last term, he is optimistic about his team's prospects this season.

"The squad is stronger and, for me, what has been great is that in pre-season a lot of academy boys like Peter Horne and Dave McCall, and the new signing Peter Murchie, have come in and looked very good. They have all had a run at centre and looked great, and it's a bit of a buzz for me to know that I'll be coming back and having to compete for a place."

This article was posted on 26-Aug-2009, 10:40 by Hugh Barrow.