Escare departure could speed up Evalds switch to Tigers

WITH WIGAN Warriors’ Morgan Escare on the move, Castleford Tigers could potentially see England Knights full-back Niall Evalds at the club sooner than expected.

Wigan yesterday announced that France full-back Escare, who is being linked with beaten Grand Finalists Salford Red Devils, had been released by “mutual consent.”

If he does join up with Salford, they then may decide to release Evalds early.

Salford confirmed last month that their highly-rated player had turned down a new deal and would move on at the end of 2020.

Castleford are thought to have secured his signature for 2021 although the Wheldon Road club has not yet made any public comment.

However, Jordan Rankin, who started the season as Tigers’ first-choice full-back, has since been allowed to leave and head home to Australia, so Daryl Powell could ideally do with a new No1 ahead of Super League’s likely return in August.

Escare scored 14 tries in 47 games for Wigan after joining from Catalans Dragons and won the 2017 World Club Challenge as well as a Super League Grand Final the following year,

However, he has fallen down the pecking order behind Zak Hardaker and then Bevan French and spent some time on loan at Wakefield Trinity last term.

Wigan executive director Kris Radlinski said: “With the limited opportunities to find a game for

Morgan and with the cancellation of the Reserve programme for 2020, it was felt the best thing by all was to allow Morgan to find another club for the remainder of 2020 and secure a contract for 2021 and beyond.

“We thank him for his commitment to Wigan over the last few years and we wish him well for the rest of his career.”

Elsewhere, Gold Coast Titans have signed former Widnes winger/full-back Corey Thompson, 30, from Wests Tigers on a three-year deal.

Titans head coach Justin Holbrook said: “He is obviously a very good full-back with terrific speed and consistency, and the past few weeks under the new ruck rules have shown us just how important those qualities are in the modern game,”