Wallabies coach Michael Cheika believes Will Skelton is slowly getting to grips with international rugby and hasn’t given up on luring the giant lock’s younger, bigger brother back to Australia.
Skelton, 22, exploded onto the international scene with an impressive starting debut against France in June but has played a more subtle role on the tour of Europe.
Skelton is expected to come off the bench for the fourth straight Test against England on Saturday and Cheika believes the 203cm, 135kg Waratahs forward is starting to develop the work ethic and attitude to match his size and power.
“I think he’s still learning about the intensity of the step-up,” Cheika said.
“I think he got caught out one week (against France) where he didn’t get prepared as well and it probably cost him, but apart from that, I think he’s been really good.
“He’s still learning and he knows it.”
Skelton, the cousin of former All Black Brad Mika, could have pursued an international career with his native New Zealand or Samoa, his parents’ birth country.
He turned down an offer from Graham Henry to join Blues last year prior to making his Waratahs debut and revealed he also received an approach about representing Samoa, whom he played for at under 20s level.
Cheika is thankful Skelton chose the green and gold and hopes his younger brother could be also eligible for Australia in the future, despite letting him slip from the Waratahs earlier this year.
Cameron Skelton, 19, is 10kg heavier and two centimetres taller than Will but left the Waratahs’ junior ranks earlier this year to take up an attractive offer with the Chiefs.
“We’ll be targeting to get his brother back and not letting him play for New Zealand, that’s the idea,” Cheika said.
“We’ve got to change our mindset from worrying about losing things to concentrating on getting things.”
Will Skelton said he was relishing his first European tour experience despite his limited opportunities.
Cheika believes Skelton will be able to gradually increase his game time for both the Waratahs and Wallabies as he continues to develop.
“You always want to be in that starting position but at the end of the day it’s a squad-oriented game,” Skelton said.
“I’m happy to be on the bench and to provide the impact for the boys.
“(Cheika) is the coach and he knows what I can provide for the team.
“If that means I don’t get as much minutes in this game and have to go and get a good pre-season under my belt for the Waratahs, then I’m happy to put in that hard work.”
jeznez
Roar Guru
We need an Aussie A program to help lock talent in to Aussie rugby. The fact that a player like Longbottom is being looked at by England when we should have locked him in yo Australia from an international perspective beggars belief. Would also mean we could lock players in without having to push them into Test rugby before they are ready.
atlas
Guest
I cited Henry Speight specifically to explain that "The country in which the Player has completed thirty-six consecutive months of Residence immediately preceding the time of playing." consecutive and immediately. As with Speight whose three months in NZ set him back to ground zero, Cameron Skelton has already broken his 36 months continuous residency - he's been in NZ since August. There is no 'credit' for previous time in a country, he would start again at zero months.
Ajax
Guest
If he has lived in Australia since the age of 7 he must have been here for over ten years, fulfills our residency requirements, why would he have to wait an extra 36 months to qualify for the Wallabies???
Wazbo
Guest
like Hooper and his hair?
Boomeranga
Guest
Die Hard, you talk above about an Australian raised kid who couldn't get close to money in Australia getting a contract in NZ. Is Cameron Skelton not someone that was left 'lying around" that NZ rugby has "captured"? That will be different, I guess.
Boomeranga
Guest
Another attraction may have been the offer of money. He wasn't close to getting anything in Australia.
Oakie
Guest
And Kepu born in Australia !
Jobbles
Guest
And give up a flanker who is changing the way flanker is played???!?!
Jobbles
Guest
You mean James o'connor born on the Gold Coast...
Combesy
Roar Guru
that's because we are haemorrhaging players forwards to Europe at a rate of knots
Combesy
Roar Guru
if he wants healthy competition, don't waste money on beale and attempt to get douglas back for the world cup.
Combesy
Roar Guru
there's not. and if we had a decent backrow, maybe people would actually appreciate simmons technical work.
Combesy
Roar Guru
Jutsie, I don't agree. Simmons has been the number lock in Australia for 2-3 years. People are just small minded and get blinded by the appearance of a bloke rather than the performance.
Combesy
Roar Guru
so what the excuse for the previous 19 years for the waratah's??
messa
Guest
saying hes aiming at having someone ready to play 80min IF REQUIRED at next years world cup is hardly giving them a walk up start... it is what it is...
Daz
Guest
Yep mid-week games, more revenue for us, and less time for the non-selected, invisibles with nothing to do but to get into trouble to focus on something. I probably should have said fans over there would pay top dollar in the hope of seeing their side touch up our A-Team. It's not that bad. Put Skelton on and say "Bad luck son. You gotta play 85 minutes whether you like it or not." Possibles vs probables. The darkness have been doing it for years and the fans love it. But what would they know?
Magic Sponge
Guest
There is virtually no competition for spots in the forwards , but plenty in the backs.
Rhino
Guest
Fair points messa and agree that healthy competition is good for Aussie rugby. But if Cheika already has a plan or preconceived notion that Skelton will be a staring lock at RWC2015, then that's not promoting healthy competition. That's giving a player at your own province an advantage that others may not get. But as you say, others on this tour have been given starting spots in front of Skelton so it's up to them to produce the goods. By the way, here's the bit on Fox Rugby that I was referring tot - "He has been averaging around 20 minutes a game, a time span coach Michael Cheika hopes to increase incrementally, first at the Waratahs in next year’s Super Rugby season and then in the The Rugby Championship before, all going to plan, Skelton is ready to play a full 80 minutes at the World Cup if required."
atlas
Guest
only if he's good enough; he played for Waikato U-19s at the national tournament held Sept/Oct this year, but didn't feature in any match reports I could find. Lots of competition for the U-20s squad next year there were 16 teams at the nationals A couple of old surnames in there though - Warren Gatland's son Bryn at 10 for Waikato, Todd Blackadders' son Ethan a loose forward for Tasman, and Blake Barrett - another from the family of Beauden (AB, Taranaki, Hurricanes), Kane (Taranaki, Blues), Scott (Canterbury, Crusaders). The 5th brother? Jordie, he's just won the Taranki age-group cricket award.
grapeseed
Guest
No, Jackpot is South African and Hooper can't play two positions.