Charlie Walker, a 21-year-old former Leicester Academy player, is attracting the attention of Stuart Lancaster as England continue their search for two wings for this season’s Six Nations. Walker, who scored two tries in the recent Heineken Cup double over Racing Métro, was one of Harlequins‘ scorers in the 22-6 victory over Exeter in front of 74,827 supporters at Twickenham.
The high-profile match was the ideal shop window for Walker. It was hard to follow a buildup that included the power ballads of the X Factor winner Sam Bailey and a firework display that left the pitch shrouded in smoke by the time Nick Evans kicked off but Harlequins lit up the stadium with an impressive first-half display that included two other tries, by Evans and Mike Brown.
“This was a massive, massive game in the context of our season,” said Harlequins’ director of rugby Conor O’Shea. “After a horrendous pile of injuries we are getting stronger and stronger by the game. There are few teams who can play the way we played in the first half.” Harlequins know, though, they will need 80 minutes of pyrotechnics if they are to overcome Northampton at Franklin’s Gardens on Friday night. Northampton recovered from going 13 points down to trounce Bath 43-25 in the day’s most spectacular game.
George North, who has been filling in at outside-centre, completed Saints’ comeback with the last of six tries in the final minute. North, back on the left wing, earned fulsome praise from Jim Mallinder. “George had an outstanding game,” said the director of rugby. “He showed why he is a world-class player.”
Northampton are breathing down the necks of the leaders Saracens, who were far too strong for Worcester. Despite leaving Owen Farrell and Chris Ashton at home, Saracens won 26-8 to leave Worcester rooted to the bottom of the Premiership after 11 defeats. Saracens secured a try bonus point within half an hour and a first win at Sixways in six years.
The good news for Lancaster was the return after injury of Brad Barritt, a 50th-minute replacement for one of the try-scorers, David Strettle. The England centre, who missed the autumn internationals, will start when the leaders travel to Gloucester on Saturday.
At Welford Road, Owen Williams, the young fly-half replacing the France-bound Toby Flood, contributed an invaluable 15 points as Leicester defeated Sale 30-23. “I thought he was really composed, kicked his goals and ran our backline well,” said the Leicester director of rugby Richard Cockerill, who was critical of the referee Matthew Carley’s handling of the scrum. “When sides come here they just cheat, cheat and cheat and I thought we got refereed harder than the opposition.”
Article source: http://www.pocklingtonpost.co.uk/news/local/talk-by-england-rugby-coach-to-tackle-our-approach-to-education-1-6305157
Rugby union roundup: Charlie Walker helps Harlequins defeat Exeter
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