Recalled Wallabies lock Will Skelton is backing himself to be ready for Monday’s (AEDT) Test against Scotland at Murrayfield as he makes a belated return five years after leaving Australia.
Skelton, 29, left Australia at the end of 2017 having played 18 Tests to join Saracens. Earlier this year he re-signed with French outift La Rochelle until the end of 2025, and has been in sensational form this season, leading to his Wallabies call up.
Skelton revealed he knocked back a similar request a year earlier because of family issues.
Coach Dave Rennie suggested it would take time for Skelton and fellow European based reinforcements to get up to speed with the team’s game plans, but Skelton says he’s raring to go.
“I went through a bit of detail last night,” Skelton said on Wednesday. “It seems quite simple. It’s something as a rugby player you’ve got to get used to quick.
“I’m not too sure, I’ll see what Rens is thinking. I’ll definitely be putting my hand up, I think all the boys will be who come in, because we’re not here to sit back and train for the three weeks.
“We want to try and be involved and put our hand up for selection. But we’ll be trying to get our heads around it for Sunday with a seven-day turnaround.”
Skelton has long been a target for Wallabies coaches, and Rennie will be delighted to get his man after missing out last year when Skelton knocked back an approach from Rugby Australia director of rugby Scott Johnson.
“I spoke to Scotty Johnson last year with the Rugby Championships, but it was a shorter version of that and there was a massive bubble for like 12 weeks and he asked me then,” Skelton said.
“It didn’t work out, my wife was pregnant and I didn’t want to leave her. I thought the door was closed. Rens gave me a phone call in the middle of the year and asked if I wanted to be involved, ‘we’ve been looking at you’.
“He said ‘keep playing good footy and you might be involved’. I just put my head down and I’m here now.”
Skelton said he had been warmly welcomed into the group.
“There’s a few guys I hadn’t met, but (they’re) very welcoming,” Skelton said. “You can see the camaraderie in the group, everyone cares about each other. There was a bit of banter on the first day too, which was nice. And the Aussie accent. I don’t know if I missed that!
“I had seen how well the boys had been going and looking from afar, you want to be involved, you want to see what’s happening with the group, new coach, new staff, new boys coming through, so it’s exciting and it’s been a lot of fun since I’ve been here.”
Skelton, as with Rory Arnold, felt his playing days for the Wallabies were likely over, and there were aspects he missed.
(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
The main one was no longer “playing with the boys I grew up with.
“I played a lot of club rugby with guys like Hoops, most of them have left now, but I remember guys like Keps as well.
“You build relationships with them at the start of your career and to be able to play with them for your country is the ultimate, it’s something very special and something you never take for granted, so to be involved with the group again, it’s something I didn’t think was coming, but I’m grateful to be here.
“It was good to see Hoops again. Guys like [Nic White], I made my debut with Whitey, so obviously very cool to see those boys again.
“I haven’t seen them in a few years. I’ve seen how well they’re been playing. They’re on a winning streak and you want to come in and add value, you don’t want to be pulling them back.
“You always want to be involved. Guys like Rory and myself, Duncan and Colby who will join, we’re excited to be here and we’re excited to help out with the squad and take the squad where it wants to be.”
Wallabies teammate Taniela Tupou said he was looking forward to having Skelton’s presence in the scrum.
“I had never really played with Will, just imagining having him behind me or Allan (Alaalatoa) or any of the tightheads. As a prop, that’s a dream. You don’t have to do much. You just have to be in good shape and Will will do the rest,” Tupou said.
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
For Tupou, Monday’s match is a return to the scene of his debut, in 2017.
“It’s funny because back here in 2017 I came yesterday, put my key into the room, they put me in the same level I was a few years ago and now playing on Sunday (local time), my debut was on a Sunday too. It’s good to be back here and looking forward to hopefully playing this week.”
That game resulted in a record smashing 53-24 win to Scotland.
“I haven’t watched the game since I played, but not the best game,” Tupou said. “Hopefully we’ll change that around this week.”
Tupou has had an excellent season, chiefly starting out the campaign as an impact player from the bench, and his growing status in the team is reflected in his feelings about the current Spring Tour.
“I think I’ve enjoyed this one a lot better. I’m a lot older and I’m not the 18-year-old kid trying to get into the team, I can be myself around the boys and offer something. It’s a lot different this time,” said Tupou.
AV
Roar Rookie
Hey BFB. In short - yes, yes, yes. Totally agree. I cited Euro examples, cos I can only think of one decent NZ example - Pete Samu. You watch him for 5min and you can tell he played NZ provincial rugby in his running lines, height into and at rucks, tailing and chasing. He oozes Crusaders. If I am Fraser McReight, I would be both frustrated and honoured to be tapping into the experience of Hooper, McMahon and Samu. Cheers, AV
carnivean
Roar Rookie
Your argument was that his body shape is wrong for rugby and that's the reason to exclude him. That's clearly nonsense as Tupou showed. The rest of your argument is ill-informed conjecture on your part being presented as fact. The simple facts are Skelton is in better shape than when he left, he regularly plays 80 minutes in France, he's considered to be about the best forward playing in France and there's nothing in that to exclude him from selection.
Terry Tavita
Roar Pro
no they're not..
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
No way for us to agree on these theoretical games but if I'm right for once, (win more than they lost) then they'd do more than beat the Tahs
Busted Fullback
Roar Rookie
G’day Bentnuc. JOC didn’t kick as much during SR as other 10s might have, but was that due to carrying that ankle injury? I hope that the extended time he’s been able to have has allowed him to overcome that injury and bring all his skills into play on the weekend.
Busted Fullback
Roar Rookie
G’day AV. Let me throw in a little variation. It doesn’t always have to be Europe to deliver improvements. Martin Johnson spent a couple(?) of years learning his craft in NZ. Their top flight stocks may be a little light at the moment but NZ obviously have the IP to make sure that doesn’t last too long. It’s also a lot closer for young Aussies to travel.
Shane
Guest
"Leinster, Saracens, Exeter, Harlequins, Toulouse, Racing, La Rochelle, would all win more than they lost playing SR " You`re right for once, all of those teams would thrash the 0-13 tahs, but would struggle against the other 4 Super AU franchises.
Geoff
Guest
I get Shanes point KCOL. Liam Gill is killing it in Europe why isn`t he in the Wallabies squad? Will Colby get any minutes at openside flanker on this tour or will he carry the drinks like Fraser did in the RC? All positions seem to get rotated through bar one. Seems a tad unfair and short-sighted to me looking forward to the RWC 2023.
Shane
Guest
Nonsense ! absolute total nonsense, you play to win that means you play your best players every game. Rennie hasn`t got the luxury like a sa or ab of trying out previous failed experiments. Matt and Darcy are better than Skelton by a long way.
Beefa
Guest
Where`s our greatest 10 ever Foley when you need him? :shocked:
JP
Guest
NM Not well, the French national team lose alot. No world cup wins either.They choke in RWC finals, No intestinal fortitude.
JP
Guest
Tupou is mobile can play 80 mins and is a proven test match player .Skelton is not mobile would be nowhere near Taniela`s fitness at test level and has proven to be not a test match player, that is the difference.
Etepeus
Roar Rookie
The biggest problem for Aus rugby is not the players, its coaches and trainers How many times do we hear the national coach complain that players are not fit enough when they get them, yet this generally well into the season. How may Aus players go overseas and improve dramatically - learn there craft etc Aus needs serious investment in coaches and a national plan for players skills that there SR team coaches are working to implement.
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
He’s not watching any. An opinion formulated without watching anything could be disproved if you actually saw something
freddieeffer
Roar Rookie
As well, for a few SR seasons (eg when Skelton was in France) the Oz SR franchises were terrible. The Kiwi sides were practically undefeated and the Oz sides got their backsides handed to them regularly. To rub in the point, even the Oz derbies (eg 2017 and 2018) were unwatchable the footie was so poor. In fact, often, I turned it off at half time it was that bad. Even this season, The Oz sides in SR were still struggling to be genuinely competitive against the kiwi sides. So I dunno what footie Shane is watching if "NH club rugby is two steps down from super rugby."
stillmissit
Roar Guru
Shane, this is professional rugby not a backyard game with your mates. There are realities affecting our game and we need to move to embrace them or return to 7th to 10th in the world. Your hardworking loyal locks will be gone to grab the money as often as others have done in the last 10 years. I think your post is BS..
Marshy
Guest
The scrum is scary as it is already, and that is before the inclusion of more Giants from the North. The thought of Skelton carrying it up, taking in three defenders and offloading to Nela in full flight, is downright terrifying. Particularly to any unfortunate soul having to try and stop it!
Doctordbx
Roar Rookie
I'm ready to have my opinion changed about Skelton. Before he left he was a big kid with no skills. Being big goes a long way, even in premier tier Rugby... Not so much in Super and Test Rugby. Fitness and skills were two things he really needed to work on. Hopefully for our sake he has.
Doctordbx
Roar Rookie
I don't think he had a poor game against Japan. Apart from the intercept he was pretty good around the park.
Dane J
Guest
As much as I think Will brings a lot as a devastating ball carrier, it will be Rory in combination with Rodda that makes the big impact at set piece. That’s a lineout you do not even bother competing against.