Alex throws it all into his new role

Nov 6 2009 by Nick Purewal, The Journal

BY the time Alex Walker came to England, the Premiership interest had come and gone.

Undeterred, the Australian Under-21 cap pitched up at Otley for a National League slugfest designed to win friends and influence top-level people.

Forced to let two Premiership trials pass him by while finishing up with Eastwood – Matt Burke’s old Sydney club – Walker was confident enough to let his abilities do the talking on the other side of the world.

Overlooked for a Super 14 chance then, Walker wasted no time in Yorkshire, eventually winning himself a contract at Saracens – but he has Gloucester to thank for a vital position-change.

When the raw ball-carrying front-rower swapped hemispheres he was a died-in-the-wool tighthead prop.

Good thing then, that someone at the Cherry and Whites suggested he try hooker.

Wondering why he had not moved into the middle sooner, Walker won that Saracens contract and spent the next three years perfecting the highly-technical position.

So when he winds up to hit that first lineout at Sixways tomorrow, Walker will call on the thousands of throws he has packed into those transition years.

“I was playing tighthead prop originally when I came over and signed for Otley,” he said, gearing up for tomorrow’s Anglo-Welsh cup opener at Sixways (kick-off 12.30pm).

“I had a few games with Gloucester A team and they told me I should play hooker.