MAX Evans is going to be glued to his telly over the next few weeks.

What with the rugby Six Nations starting on Friday, and Dancing on Ice continuing to thrill on Sunday nights, he won’t have time to do much else.

“I’m loving watching Dancing on Ice, although I know exactly what they are going through,” laughs the former Scotland and Glasgow Warriors player, who got all the way to the final of the skating show last year.

“I’m nervous for them – but they are all doing a brilliant job. Brian McFadden is a great mate, so I sent him a message, telling him to try to forget the nerves and just enjoy it.”

Max adds, grinning: “Easier said than done, of course.”

Max’s sparkling performance on the ice with partner Ale Izquierdo came as something of a surprise, he admits.

“I did it because I wanted to learn a new skill and it was entirely different from anything I had done before,” he explains. “Getting to take part in a show like this is a priceless opportunity.

“I had no idea if I would be good or bad – ice skating was completely alien to me. All I wanted was to make sure I didn’t look silly and get teased by my rugby mates.

“Dropping or hurting my partner was my biggest fear – it was really scary. I had never been responsible for someone else’s wellbeing in that way before.”

Waiting to go on the ice and perform in front of millions was a thoroughly nervewracking experience, he admits.

“When I played rugby, I’d get that trembly-legs feeling as I waited to run out on to the pitch - but it was rugby,” he says. “You just got on with it. Once you started throwing yourself into people, it went away. On Dancing on Ice, those legs not only had to skate, but to balance and stay steady as you lifted your partner above your head….”

Max’s brother, fellow rugby star Thom Evans, took part in the 2014 series of Strictly Come Dancing.

“I’d love to do the dance show,” says Max. “I’m so jealous of Thom, as he gets to show off his dance moves all the time (and he does do it, every chance he gets…). It’s harder for me to demonstrate my ice-skating moves!”

The brothers – the 20th set to take to the international field in the same Scotland team when they ran out against France in 2009 - are “very competitive”, says Max.

“We are, but we also support each other, 100 per cent,” he adds. “Being competitive drives us to get better.”

The Evans family moved to Portugal when Max was a toddler. Dad Brian is a former professional golfer who runs a golf club in the Algarve, and mum Sally was a 100m sprint champion in her native South Africa, so sporting prowess runs in the genes.

Max’s Glasgow-born grandfather, Fred Evans, was a rugby fan and he loved the fact his grandsons played for Scotland.

He would regularly watch them in games at their boarding school, Wellington College in Berkshire, which was close to where he lived, but sadly he died before their Scotland debuts.

“He loved his rugby,” recalls Max. “It’s really sad he didn’t get to see us play for Scotland. But we both agree that he was with us, every time we stood on the pitch at Murrayfield, singing the national anthem.

“That second verse, when the band falls silent and the crowd keeps singing – the hairs on the back of my neck are standing up just talking about it…There is no greater feeling.”

Max believes Scotland are strong going in to the Six Nations, which starts on Friday (February 1) with France versus Wales. Scotland’s first game is against Italy on Saturday.

“I missed a lot of the competition last year because I was doing Dancing on Ice – although I did watch Scotland beating England,” he grins.

“I’m really looking forward to the championship this year. Wales look quite strong – but I’m behind Scotland all the way.”

Max – who retired from the game in 2015 – says he misses the thrill of playing rugby, but the injuries and physical batterings, less so.

“My body is relieved I no longer play,” he laughs. “I miss the camaraderie, the team – it was a very special job, and I loved it - but I don’t miss the pain.”

Now he is looking for something to “get my teeth into”, he says.

“My dream is to create a sports or wellness brand,” he explains. “I’ve also become obsessed with Padel Tennis, which is like a cross between tennis and squash that’s really popular in Spain and Portugal, but not well known in the UK.

“It’s a brilliant sport, and I’d love to help introduce it to more people in this country.”

He adds: “I think moving from sport to business is entirely possible – you have lots of transferable skills, such as discipline, determination and leadership.”

Max is also helping Scots to get “energy fit” by requesting a smart meter from their energy suppliers to help keep track of their electricity and gas use. He has teamed up with Smart Energy GB for its latest campaign which involved, weirdly, Highland dancing.

“Me and three dancers from Edinburgh Highland Dancing took part in an ‘energy-off’ competition against four rugby players from Boroughmuir,” he explains. “We had three minutes to generate as much energy as possible on these special tiles – and we won!”

He grins: “I had never done Highland dancing before, but I do like to dance, so I gave it a go.

“I asked my girlfriend Lauren for advice – she’s a dancer, so that was great. But it’s so hard! You need a lot of stamina.”

Max lives in Surrey with Lauren [Jamieson], but regularly visits Glasgow.

“Lauren’s parents live in Robroyston, so we come up as often as we can,” he says. “I do miss Glasgow.

“And I miss rugby. But I always knew I couldn’t do it forever. Now it’s time for the next chapter of my life.”