Charlie Walker heads to Italy to sign for Zebre
EXETER, ENGLAND - APRIL 27: Charlie Walker of Harlequins dives over to score his side's second try during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby match between Exeter Chiefs and Harlequins at Sandy Park on April 27, 2019 in Exeter, United Kingdom. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
Harlequins winger Charlie Walker will swap the Premiership for the PRO14 and join Zebre this off-season.
In the land where former Quins boss Conor O’Shea is the national team head coach – for now – Walker will be must-needed finishing ability to the Italian club.
Languishing at the bottom of Conference A with the lowest points total in the league (19), Zebre mustered a lowly 260 points for the PRO14 campaign.
Ready to grapple with a new language, Walker is hoping his record of 27 tries in 60 appearances for Quins will stand him in good stead during his time in Parma.
“I’m very excited by this great opportunity at Zebre that will also allow me to test myself in a context of a different culture.
“The club has great ambitions and clear objectives of what it wants to become. After talking to coach Michael Bradley about the rugby style he wants to play, it was immediately clear to me that Zebre are the right club for my future.”
A Leicester Tigers academy product, Walker made the move to London in 2011 and formed a part of the England 7s programme during Ben Ryan’s time as head coach.
Zebre team manager Andrea De Rossi commented: “A wing is coming. Charlie Walker is an high-calibre player due to his speed, dynamism, great technique and good tackling, as he showed with the England national sevens.
“He is a close friend of David Sisi and has been given a positive reference by Conor O’Shea. All this made the process that led to the agreement simple and quick.”
