When Ant Walker had to quit rugby league due to a rare brain condition, missing Wales duty proved the most painful aspect.
But five years after being rocked by that news, the Bradford Bulls prop finally proudly represented his country again against France on Sunday. And now he’s gearing up to make sure he doesn’t miss another World Cup. Ex-St Helens and Wakefield forward Walker was concussed playing for Rochdale in 2017.
Scans revealed a potentially fatal condition called arteriovenous malformation which he’d had since birth. Walker was told to stop playing - just two days before being due to fly to Australia for the 2017 World Cup. After two years of radiotherapy, though, he was given the green light to start again, linking up with Bradford last term.
While sidelined, he had coached Wales Under 19s - and some of those players lined up alongside him for the senior team in France. John Kear’s side lost 34-10 but Walker admitted: “It was class to play again. I spoke to the boys the night before the game about what it means to pull the shirt on.
“I didn’t always miss rugby league when I was retired but I did miss the international camps. They were always the highlight of my year. There’s something about a Wales camp that brings the best out of players. It’s infectious.
“Keary’s a really good motivator and you just want to play for him. That’s why I got involved with the Under 19s as I wanted to bring the same ethos to their level. To then play with one who I coached - the Leigh centre Luis Roberts debuted while Cobi Green was 18th man - was nice.”
Walker, 30, is looking forward to ripping into the World Cup when Wales face Cook Islands, Tonga and Papua New Guinea in October. He joked: "I’m owed one after what happened in 2017. I played in 2013 and we didn’t win a game. We didn’t win five years ago either.
“Wales tend to do well in between World Cups and then can’t seem to get a World Cup win. But we’re really aiming to shock a few this year and win a game or two. That mid-season international will help us do that.”
On his enforced absence from the sport, Walker reflects: “It's hard. I'm made up they found it. But I am a bit miffed I had it all my career and it never caused me any issues.
“If I'd never got knocked out, I might never have retired. Over the four years off I did realise there’s more to life than rugby. I’ve got kids now and I need to be there for them. But I was still thinking I could do it. I came back thinking if I'm not up to it, at least I've tried. But I think I surprised even myself that I could still offer something. And it is nice to be back.”
