Chev Walker

Chev Walker

Personal information
Full name	Chev Walker
Born	(1982-10-09) 9 October 1982 Leeds, West Yorkshire, England
Height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight	16 st 5 lb (104 kg)
Playing information
Position	Wing, Centre, Second-row
Club
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
1999–06	Leeds	180	83	0	0	332
2008–10	Hull Kingston Rovers	35	5	0	0	20
2011–	Bradford	51	5	0	0	20
	Total	266	93	0	0	372
As of 5 February 2014

Chev Walker (born 10 October 1982) is an English professional rugby league player for Bradford of Super League. He has played both rugby league and rugby union professionally. A Great Britain and England international representative three-quarter back, Walker has played for Super League clubs Leeds Rhinos, Hull Kingston Rovers and Bradford Bulls.

Playing career

Leeds Rhinos

He played the position of Centre for Leeds and made his debut against Halifax on 13 August 1999 aged 16.

In July 2003, Walker was found guilty of brawling in the street in Leeds, and was sent to a young offenders' institution for 18 months. The other offenders were Leeds team mates Ryan Bailey (sentenced to nine months detention in a young offenders institution) and Dwayne Barker (ordered to do 150 hours of community service) and Rochdale Hornets' Paul Owen (gaoled for 15 months).^[1]

He is of Jamaican heritage^[2] and expressed a desire to represent the West Indies.^[3] Just after his 18th birthday Walker played for England in the 2000 Rugby League World Cup^[4] and made his Great Britain debut in 2004, coming off the bench against Australia in the opening game of that year's Tri Nations competition. In total Walker has six caps for Great Britain and six for England. He also has representative league honours with England A, England Under-21s and Yorkshire.

Walker featured in the Rugby League Challenge Cup final in 2003. He played for the Leeds Rhinos at cenre in their 2004 Super League Grand Final victory against the Bradford Bulls. As Super League IX champions, the Rhinos faced 2004 NRL season premiers, the Bulldogs in the 2005 World Club Challenge. Walker played at centre and scored a try in Leeds' 39–32 victory.

Walker played for Leeds in the 2005 Challenge Cup final at centre in their loss against Hull FC.^[5] By the end of the 2005 season he had scored 75 tries in 156 appearances for Leeds, an average of almost one try every two games. He was also part of the Leeds team which won the 2005 World Club Challenge when Leeds defeated Bulldogs. He played for the Leeds Rhinos at centre in their 2005 Super League Grand Final loss against Bradford Bulls.

On 6 June 2006, it was announced that Walker had signed for the England|English rugby union team Bath RFC, and would join the club from the end of the Rugby League season in November 2006.^[6][7][8]

Rugby union

England's union coach, Brian Ashton, identified Walker as a player with international potential when he helped to sign him in his previous role at Bath but the 24-year-old centre struggled to settle after moving south from Leeds on a two-year contract, and made only eight Guinness Premiership starts.

Walker was linked with a return to rugby league with various clubs before signing for Hull Kingston Rovers in September 2007.

Hull Kingston Rovers

Since 2007 he has played rugby league for Hull Kingston Rovers. On 18 September 2009 Chev suffered a horrific compound leg fracture in the Super League title playoff against Champions Leeds. Bradford signed Walker on a 1 year deal at the end of the 2010 season.

Bradford

Walker appeared in two of the four pre-season games. He played against Halifax and Wakefield Trinity. Chev featured in Round 1 (Leeds) to Round 3 (Crusaders RL). He then played in six consecutive games from Round 8 (Harlequins RL) to Round 13 (Warrington). He featured in Round 26 (Crusaders RL) and Round 27 (Wakefield Trinity). Chev also featured in the Challenge Cup game against Halifax. He picked up a pectoral injury which kept him out all season. Walker scored a try against Hull. He signed a 1 year extension to his contract.

Walker appeared in three of the four pre-season games. He played against Castleford, Dewsbury and Hull. He scored a try against Castleford. Chev featured in three consecutive games from Round 1 (Catalans Dragons) to Round 3 (Wigan). He missed Rounds 4–5 due to an injury. He then featured in three consecutive games from Round 6 (Hull Kingston Rovers) to Round 8 (Salford). He missed Rounds 9–11 and Round 4 of the Challenge Cup due to injury. He featured in Round 15 (Leeds). He was then injured for Rounds 16–18. He returned for Rounds 19 (Wigan) to Round 27 (Catalans Dragons). Chev signed a 1 year extension to his current contract to keep him at Odsal until the end of 2013.

Walker featured in the pre-season friendlies against Dewsbury Rams and Leeds Rhinos. He featured in six consecutive games from Round 1 (Wakefield Wildcats) to Round 6 (Widnes Vikings). Chev was injured for Round 7. Walker featured in Round 8 (Catalan Dragons) to Round 9 (Leeds Rhinos). Chev missed Round 10 due to injury. Walker returned and played in Round 11 (London Broncos) to Round 17 (Hull KR). He was injured for Round 18–19. He returned in Round 20 (Warrington Wolves) and then in Round 23 (Wakefield Wildcats) to Round 26 (London Broncos). Walker featured in the Challenge Cup against Rochdale Hornets and London Broncos. He scored against Castleford Tigers (1 try), London Broncos (1 try), Rochdale Hornets (1 try) and Warrington Wolves (1 try). Walker signed a 1 year extension to his contract with the option of another year mid-way through the season.

Walker featured in the pre-season games against Hull FC and Castleford Tigers.

Super League tries

Scores and results list Chev's try tally first.^[9]

References

External links

• England profile
• Bath profile
• Guinness Premiership profile
• Teenager Walker steps up in world
• Wigan look to bring back Walker
• England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk
• Great Britain Statistics at englandrl.co.uk
• Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org
• Profile at leedsrugby.dnsupdate.co.uk