Chev Walker (born 10 October 1982) is an English rugby player. Primarily a rugby league player, he has played both rugby league and rugby union professionally. Since 2007 he has played rugby league for Hull KR. Usually a centre, Walker can also play in the second row. He is of Jamaican heritage^[1] and expressed a desire to represent the West Indies.^[2] On 18 September 2009 Chev suffered a horrific compound leg fracture in the Super League title playoff against Champions Leeds.

[edit] Early career

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

Just after his 18th birthday Walker played for England in the 2000 Rugby League World Cup 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.

He featured in the Challenge Cup finals in 2003 and 2005 as well as helping Leeds to the Super League title in 2004 when they beat Bradford Bulls in the Grand Final. By the end of the 2005 season he had scored 75 tries in 156 appearances for the Rhinos, an average of almost one try every two games. He was also part of the Rhinos team which won the 2005 World Club Challenge when Leeds defeated the Canterbury Bulldogs.

[edit] Move to rugby union and return to rugby league

On 6 June 2006, it was announced that Walker had signed for the English rugby union team Bath RFC, and would join the club from the end of the Rugby League season in November 2006.^{[3][4] [5]} 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 Premiership starts.

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

[edit] Personal life

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 Rhinos 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 (jailed for 15 months).^[6]

Walker suffered a compounded broken leg against Leeds Rhinos on 18th September 2009

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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