Max: I’m leaving friends and not just team-mates
Published on 16 Feb 2011

Evening Times reports

Exclusive by Bert Mitchell

Max Evans has lifted the lid on his torment over a decision to quit Glasgow Warriors.

The Scotland star confirmed he has signed for French Top-14 cracks Castres and will leave Glasgow after four years and 60 appearances for Warriors.

The 27-year-old admitted that his decision to head for France was made even tougher by the strength of the bond with his fellow Warriors which was increased in the wake of the harrowing neck injury that brought his brother Thom’s Glasgow and Scotland career to an end last year at the Millennium Stadium against Wales

Evans also revealed his undying gratitude to Warriors head coach Sean Lineen for giving him his big break in pro rugby and paving his way into the Scotland set-up where the mercurial star has been one of the few successes in dark blue in what has been a disappointing start to the RBS Six Nations campaign.

Evans said: “It has been a really tough decision to make and probably even more so in the wake of the injury to my brother Thom and the way it has brought me even tighter to the guys at Warriors.

“I have had four great years in Glasgow and made a lot of close friends who will stay with me for life and many of them wear the Glasgow shirt.

“I think it really came home to me what a great group of guys they were after Thom’s injury. That meant that I spent more time alone with the guys and the support I got from them during an emotional period was fantastic.

“On top of that, although I got a grounding in pro rugby at Harlequins, Sean Lineen was the man that gave me my chance and he has been a massive influence and support throughout my career along with the other coaches at Glasgow like Shade Munro and Gary Mercer.

“But even though it has been tough I think it is time for me to seek fresh challenges and France is a great place to play your rugby.”

After 60 appearances for the Warriors, since joining from Glasgow Hawks in 2007, Evans’ outstanding and unique line-breaking abilities have seen him score 10 tries for Warriors, but there is no doubt in his mind about the highlight of his career in a Glasgow shirt.

He said: “The outstanding memory has got to be the Heineken Cup win over Toulouse in France two year back. To have scored a try and claimed the man-of-the-match award in what was our greatest ever European victory will be something I will always treasure.

“I don’t know if I will ever play in a greater team performance than the one the boys produced that day at the Stade Ernest Wallon.”

But Max has vowed to go out on a high when he returns to Glasgow duty after the completion of his RBS Six Nations tour of duty.

He said: “I still have a good few Glasgow games ahead of me after the Six Nations and I am determined to make every one count.”

This article was originally posted on 16-Feb-2011, 15:20 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 16-Feb-2011, 15:20.