Walker returns to Leeds

Chev Walker has returned to Leeds Rhinos to embark on a new project which aims to bring rugby league to more youngsters in the West Yorkshire city.

Walker himself encountered rugby league when his family moved from Harehills to Hunslet when he was a youngster.

The former Great Britain player will help schools identify potential league players who would not otherwise be exposed to the game.

He will also work with secondary school teachers to help them develop as coaches, as well as help schools access more fixtures and develop closer links with the Rhinos Foundation staff.

“It is great to be back at the Rhinos eleven years after I left,” said Walker.

“I came to Rugby League by accident really because my parents moved home and I have been fortunate to have enjoyed an incredible career thanks to the game.

“The Leeds Rhinos Foundation do an incredible job with the Rugby League Development plan to get children interested in the game but inevitably in a city the size of Leeds, they can not reach everyone.

“The aim of this project is to find those teenagers who are physically suited to our game but have not accessed the game yet in their school lives.

“This is a huge untapped pool of talent in Leeds and I am really excited about the new role.”

Leon Crick, the rugby league development manager for the Leeds Rhinos Foundation, is bery pleased to have Walker on board.

“We are delighted that Chev has re-joined the club to undertake this new role,” he said.

“The new initiative will identify and recruit talented athletes from high schools into Rugby League, utilising a testing system that Chev has created.

“This will see him working closely with our existing rugby league development plan, sponsored by Mears, and I believe will benefit our other work in high schools and community rugby league as those players identified will be directed towards their local community club to continue their development.”