In the blink of an eye, Jack Walker was all choked up. Belting out God Save The King before England faced Italy nine days ago, the Harlequins hooker fixed his mum Suzanne’s gaze in the Twickenham crowd. Amid the Six Nations pomp, the 26-year-old suddenly had to hold back the tears.
Walker would later climb off the bench for his Test debut and help steer England home 31-14. A decade after his father John died and he moved in with older brother Chris as a 16-year-old chasing a career at Leeds, Walker had realised a family dream.