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
Rugby league
Position	Wing, Centre, Second-row, Loose forward
Club
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
1999–06	Leeds Rhinos	200	83	0	0	332
2008–10	Hull KR	35	5	0	0	20
2011–15	Bradford Bulls	84	8	0	0	32
	Total	319	96	0	0	384
Representative
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
2000–01	England	6	2	0	0	8
2001–03	Yorkshire
Rugby union
Position	Centre
Club
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
2006–07	Bath	8	0	0	0	0
As of 3 October 2015

Chev Walker (born 10 October 1982) is a retired English professional rugby league player for Bradford Bulls of Championship. He played both rugby league and rugby union professionally. A Great Britain and England international representative three-quarter back, Walker 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 (jailed 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

Walker began playing for Hull Kingston Rovers at the start of the 2008 Super League season. On 18 September 2009 Chev suffered a horrific compound leg fracture in the Super League title playoff against Champions Leeds.^[9] 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 midway through the season.

Walker featured in the pre-season games against Hull FC and Castleford Tigers. He featured in Round 1 (Castleford Tigers) to Round 3 (London Broncos). Chev featured in Round 5 (Huddersfield Giants) and then Round 7 (Widnes Vikings) to Round 10 (Wigan Warriors). Walker played in Round 12 (St Helens RLFC) to Round 13 (Huddersfield Giants). Chev featured in Round 15 (Wakefield Wildcats) to Round 19 (Catalan Dragons) then in Round 21 (Huddersfield Giants). Walker played in Round 26 (Widnes Vikings) and Round 27 (London Broncos). He also featured in Round 4 (Oldham Roughyeds) to the Quarter Final (Warrington Wolves) in the Challenge Cup. Chev scored against Widnes Vikings (1 try).

He signed a 1 Year Extension on his contract despite the Bulls being relegated to the Championship. He was named captain for the 2015 season.

Walker featured in the pre-season friendlies against Castleford Tigers and Leeds Rhinos. He featured in Round 1 (Leigh Centurions) to Round 2 (Whitehaven RLFC) then in Round 8 (Dewsbury Rams). He played in Round 10 (Doncaster RLFC) then in Round 19 (Batley Bulldogs) to Round 23 (Halifax RLFC). He featured in Qualifier 5 (Hull KR). Walker also played in the Challenge Cup in Round 5 (Hull KR). He scored against Leigh Centurions (1 try) and Featherstone Rovers (1 try).

Chev retired from professional rugby league at the end of the season.

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