Wasps centre is no big-time Charlie

It is a common perception that the gulf between supporters and players is ever-widening in this age of celebrity.

So often, sportsmen and women forget where they have come from. As players sign more lucrative contracts, they become more out of touch with the people who support them every week.

This, though, is not the case with Wasps centre Charlie Hayter, who was more than happy to talk to the Boar in an exclusive interview about his career.

The 24-year-old former Warwick School student has come a long way in a short space of time since lifting the Daily Mail Cup in 2007.

After studying Geography at Nottingham University, his career has taken him from Nottingham to Worcester Warriors, and then from Moseley to playing alongside the likes of Christian Wade and Tom Varndell at Adams Park.

“It has been a really enjoyable time,” he said.

“Having signed with Moseley for the start of the 2012/13 season I had a goal to gain a Premiership contract through exposure in the Championship.

“When Wasps came in and offered me the chance in January to sign for them I jumped at it. They are a fantastic club and have a really exciting set of players to be involved with.”

Hayter has a connection with the local area, too. He was captain of the 1st XV at Warwick School, scoring the winning try against Barnard Castle in the 2007 Daily Mail Cup final at Twickenham to secure a 24-23 victory.

He also opened the scoring after less than a minute with a drop goal, and was widely praised for driving his team on to victory.

And he admits he has fond memories of his time there, and still keeps in touch with his former team-mates.

“My time at Warwick was a massive aid to me, especially the Daily Mail run we had,” he said.

“Having that pressure of a Cup environment with friends you have grown up with was awesome.

“I still keep in touch with the boys from school, a lot of them live in London now so it is easier to get to see them.”

After leaving school, he did not dive straight into professional rugby, but went to complete his education.

“After Warwick, I went to the University of Nottingham to study Geography,” he said.

“Whilst I was completing my degree I played both at the University and for Nottingham Rugby Club, but I wasn’t exposed to that much game time at Nottingham and was unfortunate with injuries.”

When Wasps came in and offered me the chance in January to sign for them I jumped at it

It is clear that whilst Nottingham formed a part of his sporting education, loan spells at Stourbridge and London Scottish were extremely significant for his career.

He only made one Aviva Premiership appearance for Worcester Warriors after leaving Nottingham – against Northampton Saints in 2012 – before temporarily dropping down to the lower leagues.

“I believe that [the loan spells]were both a huge part in my development,” he said.

“I felt I needed to be playing regularly to get some much needed game experience.”

After starring on loan, he was signed by Moseley, an RFU Championship club based in Birmingham.

He quickly established himself as the star player there, and head coach Kevin Maggs admitted that he couldn’t stand in his way when the call came from Wasps in January 2013.

“He has done fantastically well for us but you can’t stop him progressing,” he told the Birmingham Mail after Hayter’s departure.

“Put him in a team with Christian Wade and Tom Varndell and you are developing a very dangerous backline.”

And Hayter himself has confessed it was difficult to leave Moseley after just a few months there.

“It was hard, because it was a good club up there,” he said.

“Kevin was an excellent coach to have, especially for me as he has vast international experience for Ireland at inside centre which is my preferred position.

“It is also difficult to leave a side halfway through a season. Having said that, the opportunity with Wasps was one I couldn’t turn down.”

Hayter scored his first try for his new club against Sale Sharks in February in a 33-30 LV Cup defeat, and admits that playing at Premiership level has helped him to enhance his game.

“I think being in a full time environment where you have great players and coaches around you to help develop your game has been the most rewarding thing,” he said.

“It has been good settling in. There is a good team spirit down here and the boys helped me to fit in straight away even though I was new half way through the season. Fortunately I didn’t have to do any kind of initiation!”

Hayter has locked horns with the likes of Leicester Tigers centre Manu Tuilagi and Sale Sharks fly-half Danny Cipriani, but admits that he can’t decide who has been his toughest opponent during his time at Wasps.

With a smile, he describes it as a “tough call”.

But he is a little more decisive about his proudest moment in rugby.

He was named in the RFU Championship XV team of the season after star performances for Moseley, and played against the New Zealand Maoris in November 2012 in a 52-21 defeat.

“That was a really good day, even though we lost!” he said. “The Daily Mail Cup win with Warwick is also high up on the list.”

For Hayter, though, it is time to look forwards rather than backwards. Although Wasps have made a slow start to the season – they are currently second-bottom, with only Hayter’s old club Worcester below them – he has high hopes for the rest of the season on an individual basis.

“Personally I think this season is about getting as much game time as I can under my belt with Wasps and try and establish a position within the team,” he said.

A modest reply from a player who has clearly managed to keep his feet on the ground throughout his dizzying recent journey.

But it is clear that the 24-year-old is going places. Who knows where the boy from Warwick School could be in a year’s time?