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Weighing up his options: Wales' Shane Williams
Photo: Michael Paler |
Scotland international
Max Evans has become the latest big-name signing to
cross 'Le Channel' after agreeing terms with Castres.
Evans, 27, said it was
"time for me to seek fresh challenges" after confirming his
switch to Top 14 next season.
He follows the likes of
Gavin Henson, James Hook, Lee Byrne and Matt Giteau in
committing to play in France in 2012/13, with more
international stars set to follow.
Top 14 League Table 2010/11
Evans will join fellow
Scottish international Scott Murray at Castres, having
finally agreed to move to France after previously turning
down several lucrative offers.
Evans told the Evening
Times it had been a "tough decision" to leave Glasgow
Warriors, but the prospect of playing in Europe's strongest
league had proved too great a lure.
"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," said Evans.
The 14-times capped
international said he had formed extremely tight friendships
with many of the squad following the career-ending injury to
his brother Thom. "That meant that I spent more time alone
with the guys and the support I got from them during an
emotional period was fantastic," he added.
Evans thanked the faith
shown in him by Warriors coach Sean Lineen, as well as Shade
Munro and Gary Mercer, but said the offer from France was
too an opportunity to turn down this time.
"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,"
he explained.
Reflecting on his time
with the Warriors he said his fondest memory had been their
shock Heineken Cup win in Toulouse two years ago, when he
scored a try and was voted also Man-of-the-Match. Having
confirmed his move to Castres - who are derby rivals of
Stade Toulousain - he is now sure to have plenty more
opportunities for a repeat performance at the Stade Ernest
Wallon.
Evans, who was at
Wellington School with Stade Francais' England flanker James
Haskell, started his career at Harlequins academy before
playing for London Scottish in 2006/7. He is also a cousin
of radio star Chris Evans.
Elsewhere on the
transfer front, Welsh international Lee Byrne has
urged his future club Clermont Auvergne to snap up
Shane Williams to join him in France next season.
Byrne,
who was agreed a three-year deal with
Clermont, told French reporters he would welcome
the addition of his fellow Wales international.
"That would be great,"
he said. "Shane is a world-class player and it would be his
last chance to move away," added Byrne.
Williams,
for his part, has already admitted that he could
follow club colleagues James Hook and Byrne to France
next season.
The 33-year-old is out
of contract with the Ospreys at the end of the current
campaign and the international winger is on the radar of
several Top 14 clubs.
Moneyed Toulon made an
offer to sign him last season but were rebuffed by the
Ospreys as Williams was still under contract. Toulon then
signed England winger Paul Sackey instead.
But Williams has failed
to agree terms on a new deal with the Welsh region and his
potential availability is being closely monitored across 'Le
Channel'.
His departure would be
another major blow for the Ospreys following the deals
already agreed by
Hook (to join Perpignan) and Byrne (to
join Clermont). News of his stalled contract
talks also comes just days after club and international
colleague
Alun Wyn-Jones admitted to considering
French leave (possibly with Byrne at Clermont),
while former Ospreys star Gavin Henson has already made the
switch to Toulon.
And the Welsh exodus -
primarily from Ospreys - could yet be further swelled by
scrum-half Mike Phillips also moving to Top 14.
"I have been talking to
the Ospreys and I want to stay, but I don't have a concrete
offer from them at present," Williams told the Western
Mail.
Williams, who scored
twice in Wales' weekend win against Scotland, said all
contract talks were presently on hold until the end of the
RBS Six Nations. But he did add that the option of going to
France was a very real one.
"I'll have to see what
materializes but there is interest in me from France," he
confirmed. "I don't want to say specifically where from," he
added, "and that is something I may also have to consider."
Williams said he
believed current club colleagues Hook and Byrne would both
flourish in France, but remained non-committal about joining
them in Top 14 next season.
"Whether I would end up
following them out there, I genuinely don't know. I've
always said I'm a home bird at heart. I've never left my
valley and never really had any desire to.
"I think I've got two
years left in me playing rugby though and the time will soon
come when I have to make concrete plans about where I spent
them," said the Welsh record try-scorer.
Finally, Racing-Métro
92 are investing for the future with the Paris club
currently running the rule over four Fijian youngsters, with
a view to signing them for their academy, according to the
Fiji Times.
The four youngsters,
who all attend Nasinu Secondary School, are hoping to follow
former pupil Vereimi Vakatawa to Racing as the club seeks to
swell its already considerable Fijian contingent. Vakatawa
has broken through to the club's first team this season
after being fast-tracked from the academy side, while Racing
also have the likes of Sireli Bobo, Albert Vulivuli, Jone
Qovu and Simon Raiwalui on their books.
