GLASGOW Warriors' new boy Peter Murchie's ambition is to follow in the footsteps of Thom and Max Evans and gain international recognition.

The 23-year-old has signed a two-year deal and is excited about playing against the cream of Europe in the Heineken Cup and the Magners League after quitting English National One side London Welsh.

And, after watching from down south as Warriors coach Sean Lineen developed the Evans brothers from rookies to Scotland caps in little over a year, the English-born centre is in no mood to play down his own international ambitions.

He said: "I am qualified through my father, who is from Ardrossan, and that is important to me.

"But when I look at how Thom and Max Evans have come to Glasgow Warriors and Sean Lineen has helped mould them into Scotland internationals, I have got to have ambition to follow in their footsteps.

"You must have belief in yourself and back yourself, and that is what I have done by upping sticks and coming to Glasgow.

"Last season, when Glasgow beat Toulouse in the Heineken Cup, I remember the boys at London Welsh were shocked by it and it was the type of result that made the whole of Europe sit up.

"That shows the potential there is at Warriors and I just want to be involved in all of that and competing and playing against the best players in Europe. For me that is a really exciting prospect."

Murchie is one of eight signings by Warriors head coach Lineen this summer and brings versatility to a back row that is bursting with pace.

Ironically, with the cruciate ligament injury that brought Max Evans' season to a premature end last term also set to sideline the Scotland star for the start of the new campaign, Murchie is determined to fill the void at outside centre.

He said: "Obviously the injury to Max Evans is unfortunate, but it maybe gives me a window of oppor-tunity to stake a claim to the outside centre place.

"I am fairly versatile and can play on the wing and at full-back and, from what I see, we have a few guys in the same boat in that respect, so it could be interesting in pre- season.

"But I am delighted to have signed and there is no doubt that playing in the Magners League and the Heineken Cup will be a massive step up from the National League One in England where I played with London Welsh.

"When you look at the British and Irish Lions squad, it was made up by players mainly from the Magners League and that underlines the quality Warriors will be facing every week."

And Murchie has no doubt that he has the qualities needed to make a sudden impact in his first season at Firhill.

The Warriors ace said: "I would say I hit a good line and have fast feet and, at 6ft 3in and aged 23, I have power but also have my best years well in front of me.

"So I am keen to learn under Sean Lineen and after the job he has done with Max and Thom Evans I am confident I will progress and develop as a rugby player at Warriors over the next season.

"I feel I am pretty solid defensively and I scored five tries last season in National One, but should have had more.

"To be coming into an environment where you are playing with inter-national players and competing against them for a starting jersey is only going to make me better."