Top 14: Scotland's Max Evans signs for Castres; Shaun Perry to join Worcester

17 February 2011

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 good 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 also voted 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, Brive's former England scrum-half Shaun Perry has confirmed he will play for Worcester next season.

Perry's move will see him team up again with former Bristol coach Richard Hill, who also spent time in France before returning home to take up the Worcester job.

Hill has welcomed the capture of 32-year-old Hill, saying the scrum-half wants to challenge for international recognition again.

"I have spoke at length to Shaun. He is very excited about playing again in this area and is really up for the challenge he knows he faces at Warriors. What has impressed me most about Shaun during our talks has been his determination to come back to England and make a very positive impression," confirmed Hill.

Perry, who won the last of his 14 England caps during the 2007 Rugby World Cup, is the third Brive player to confirm his summer departure following on from Alexis Palisson (to Toulon) and Gerhard Vosloo (to Clermont Auvergne).

Welsh international Lee Byrne, meanwhile, 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'.

Frenchrugbyclub.com understands that several French clubs are indeed considering making a move for Williams, but Clermont is not one of those at present.

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.

Top 14 transfers for 2011/12:

(*) denotes transfer already activated

SU Agen
Players Signed	Age	Position	Previous club	Nationality
Dewald Senekal *	30	Back row	Toulon	South African
Sylver Tian *	30	Full-back	Bourgoin	Ivory Coast
Hendro Scholtz *	31	Back row	Free State Cheetahs	South African
Out	Age	Position	Club	Nationality
-	-	-	-	-

Bayonne				Bayonne squad page
Players Signed	Age	Position	Previous club	Nationality
-	-	-	-	-
Out	Age	Position	Club	Nationality
Rémy Martin	31	Back row	Montpellier	French
Jean-Baptiste Peyras	26	Winger	Montpellier	French
Arnaud Heguy	26	Hooker	Biarritz	French

Biarritz Olympique				Biarritz squad page
Players Signed	Age	Position	Previous club	Nationality
Eusebio Guinazu *	29	Prop	Stormers	Argentine
Arnaud Heguy	26	Hooker	Bayonne	French
Benoit Baby	27	Full-back	Clermont Auvergne	French
Out	Age	Position	Club	Nationality
Ayoola Erinle	30	Centre	-	English
Fabien Alexandre *	25	Back row	Grenoble	French

Bourgoin				Bourgoin squad page
In	Age	Position	Club	Nationality
-	-	-	-	-
Out	Age	Position	Club	Nationality
Alex Tulou *	23	Flanker	Montpellier	Samoan
Sylver Tian *	30	Full-back	SU Agen	Ivory Coast
Nemani Nadolo *	22	Winger	Exeter Chiefs	Fijian
Rudi Coetzee *	29	Centre	Perpignan	South African

Brive				Brive squad page
Players Signed	Age	Position	Previous club	Nationality
-	-	-	-	-
Out	Age	Position	Club	Nationality
Gerhard Vosloo	31	Back row	Clermont Auvergne	South African
Alexis Palisson	23	Winger / Full-back	Toulon	French
Shaun Perry	32	Scrum-half	Worcester Warriors	English

Castres Olympique				Castres squad page
Players Signed	Age	Position	Previous club	Nationality
Josh Tatapu *	24	Centre	Otago	Samoan
Max Evans	27	Centre	Glasgow Warriors	Scottish
Out	Age	Position	Club	Nationality
Sébastien Tillous-Borde	25	Scrum-half	Toulon	French
Yoan Audrin	29	Centre	Montpellier	French
Benjamin Kayser	26	Hooker	Clermont Auvergne	French
Cameron McIntyre	29	Fly-half	-	New Zealand

Clermont Auvergne				Clermont squad page
Players Signed	Age	Position	Previous club	Nationality
Gerhard Vosloo	31	Back row	Brive	South African
Benjamin Kayser	26	Hooker	Castres	French
David Skrela	31	Fly-half	Stade Toulousain	French
Lee Byrne	30	Full-back	Ospreys	Welsh
Regan King	30	Centre	Llanelli Scarlets	New Zealand
Out	Age	Position	Club	Nationality
Agustin Creevy	25	Hooker	Montpellier	Argentine
Benoit Baby	27	Full-back	Biarritz	French

La Rochelle
Players Signed	Age	Position	Previous club	Nationality
Greg Goosen *	27	Full-back	Racing-Métro 92	South African
Out	Age	Position	Club	Nationality
-	-	-	-	-

Montpellier				Montpellier squad page
Players Signed	Age	Position	Previous club	Nationality
Rémy Martin	31	Back row	Bayonne	French
Jean-Baptiste Peyras	26	Winger	Bayonne	French
Alex Tulou *	23	Flanker	Bourgoin	Samoan
Yoan Audrin	29	Centre	Castres	French
Agustin Creevy	25	Hooker	Clermont Auvergne	Argentine
Lucas Amorosino	25	Full-back / Winger	Leicester Tigers	Argentine
Clément Marienval	25	Winger	Toulon	French
Out	Age	Position	Club	Nationality
-	-	-	-	-

Perpignan				Perpignan squad page
Players Signed	Age	Position	Previous club	Nationality
James Hook	24	Fly-half / Centre	Ospreys	Welsh
Rudi Coetzee *	29	Centre	Bourgoin	South African
Out	Age	Position	Club	Nationality
-	-	-	-	-

Racing-Métro 92				Racing-Métro squad page
Players Signed	Age	Position	Previous club	Nationality
-	-	-	-	-
Out	Age	Position	Club	Nationality
Greg Goosen *	27	Full-back	La Rochelle	South African

Stade Francais				Stade Francais squad page
Players Signed	Age	Position	Previous club	Nationality
Paul Warwick	30	Fly-half	Munster	Australian
Out	Age	Position	Club	Nationality
Ignacio Miéres *	23	Fly-half	Exeter Chiefs	Argentine

RC Toulon				Toulon squad page
Players Signed	Age	Position	Previous club	Nationality
Gavin Henson	29	Centre / Fly-half	Saracens	Welsh
Alexis Palisson	23	Winger / Full-back	Brive	French
Sébastien Tillous-Borde	25	Scrum-half	Toulon	French
Julian Dumora	22	Fly-half	Pau	French
Matt Giteau	28	Fly-half / inside centre	ACT Brumbies	Australian
Out	Age	Position	Club	Nationality
Dewald Senekal *	30	Back row	SU Agen	South African
Clément Marienval	25	Winger	Montpellier	French
Tom May	31	Centre / Fly-half	Northampton Saints	English

Stade Toulousain				Stade Toulousain squad page
Players Signed	Age	Position	Previous club	Nationality
Timoci Matanavou	26	Winger	Mont-de-Marsan	Fijian
Rupeni Caucaunibuca *	30	Winger	SU Agen	Fijian
Out	Age	Position	Club	Nationality
David Skrela	31	Fly-half	Clermont Auvergne	Clermont Auvergne
Byron Kelleher	35	Scrum-half	-	New Zealand

© Copyright FrenchRugbyClub.com. All rights reserved.