CHRISTIAN Evans liked the feeling of promotion so much that he's come to Worcester to try and achieve it again.

The 30-year-old number eight arrived at Sixways during the close-season from Bristol, who he helped win promotion to the top flight two seasons ago - at Worcester's expense.

Evans played at Sixways during Bristol's defeat in December 1998, when Australian star David Knox was controversially sent off.

But they had the last laugh as they won the Premiership Two title with Worcester ending up third.

"That year the club almost went bankrupt", recalled Evans. "We got a whole new side together from scratch and went on to win the title. It was a great experience".

Worcester are strong favourites for the new National Division One title, but Evans knows from past experience that it won't be easy.

"It is going to be a tough season ahead. From my experience it is a very tough league. We have to be 100 per cent professional and be switched on for the whole season.

"They have been unlucky not to have got promotion already, but it is a big enough club to do it.

"We just hope the players still here and the new players will gel, get performances and wins and take us to the Premiership."

Bridgend-born Evans spent two years at Bristol and played 53 games in all competitions. That followed a year playing in France and featuring for the UWIC team in the Welsh National League.

But he will not be concentrating all his attentions on rugby as he plans to continue his teacher training. He does eight hours a week lecturing in sports science a Neath College in South Wales.

"If we were training every morning there is no way I could do that, so their set-up here suits me. Rugby is a short career and you have to think about what happens afterwards."