When Eddie Jones first asked Will Skelton to be the Wallabies’ captain at this year’s World Cup, the giant second-rower initially said “no”.
Hitherto, Skelton had said he was “reluctant” to accept the responsibilities and needed some time to think about it.
“Yeah, very shocked, nervous; just a few emotions I had when Eddie gave me the call,” Skelton told Stan Sport following the World Cup squad announcement.
“I was very reluctant at first, but when the big man calls you, you tend to follow his lead, and I trust his guidance too.
But Skelton told The Roar on Thursday that he initially knocked back Jones, before coming around to the idea.
It led to tears running down the face of his parents when he informed his family of the news at his in-laws’ home.
Will Skelton embraces Jordan Petaia following their loss to the All Blacks at the MCG on July 29, 2023. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Jones, meanwhile, was a relieved man. But it only crystalised his mind that Skelton was the right person for the role.
“I asked him to have a think about it because sometimes, particularly for the humble players, captaincy is not something they want,” Jones said at World Cup squad unveiling. “You have to encourage them to take it. I’ve had similar situations with other good men like Will.”
One of the things Skelton grappled with was what leader he would be or, indeed, whether he saw himself as a leader who could deliver Churchillian speeches.
After saying he wouldn’t lead in a manner similar to that of the England captain Owen Farrell, who skippered Skelton previously at Saracens, Skelton said he wouldn’t try to lean into any one person’s leadership style.
“I don’t know, mate. I’m just trying to be me,” he told reporters on Wednesday at the Wallabies’ ‘Au Revoir’ World Cup send-off in Sydney.
“I think that was one of the problems when Eddie first called me. The only thing I could lean back on was my experience and the leaders that I had.
“I knew those guys weren’t my style of leadership. I’m not a guy who will stand in front of a team [and deliver] off the cuff [talks] and inspire the whole team.
“Speaking off the cuff is not my forte, so I’ll just try and grow into this role and embrace it.”
Will Skelton is in line to become the 87th Wallabies captain. (Photo by Pete Dovgan/Speed Media/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Instead, Skelton said his strengths lay in other areas and believes he can add to building a successful environment off the field.
“I always just try and be myself. When I got this role, I never wanted to change and I believe in this first week I haven’t done that. I’ve tried to be who I am and stick to that,” he said.
“I love those small conversations, I love having banter with the boys, having a joke.
“A thing I’ve always done is ask how your family is, how you’re doing at home. Just the normal things.
“I’ve been trying to do that around this group and just getting to know my players because I know if you’re better connected off the field, you’ll always perform better on the field.
“That’s just who I am.”
Will Skelton in Arnhem Land. (Photo by Julius Dimataga / Rugby Australia)
Wallabies openside flanker Fraser McReight, who led the Junior Wallabies to the under-20s world championship final in 2019, said Skelton had very much stayed true to himself.
“I don’t think much has changed,” he said. “Will’s really good around the group, he gets people together and that’s what he’s done.”
While Jones controversially left out Michael Hooper and Quade Cooper from his 33-man World Cup squad, Skelton doesn’t have to search too hard for other leaders.
The 145kg, 202cm forward said he would continue to call upon the advice of James Slipper, Nic White and Andrew Kellaway. Tate McDermott is also the vice-captain.
Skelton said he wouldn’t lead with an iron fist and that he would be consultative in his decision-making on the field.
“We’re pretty open and transparent in this group. I’m not going to have all the answers as well,” he said.
“It will be the preparation during the week for me. Getting to know the refs and then also speaking to the other boys, Eddie as well, about what the game plan is that week, how we want to approach it.
“If we’re looking for points early.
“But also on the field, I’ll be looking to the other leaders out there to help me make those decisions and they’re not always going to be perfect.
“I haven’t done this before so I’ll be leaning on them a lot.”
If it sounds like Skelton will be learning on the run, he will. And it’s just what Jones wants, believing the Wallabies must do things differently if they are to stand a chance in France of claiming their third Webb Ellis Cup.
But Jones also knows that Skelton is a winner, having lifted back-to-back European Championship Cup trophies for La Rochelle and previously Saracens when the Wallabies coach was leading England.
“We want to change the team, my job is to come here and change the team, and part of that was changing the leadership and the way the team’s led, and Will’s a good man, a good team, he’s played in a lot of winning teams in Europe and he brings that almost common touch to the team to bring that together,” Jones said.
“He’s going to be well supported by Tate as vice-captain, and we’ve got senior guys like Slips and Nic White and Andrew Kellaway to support him, Samu Kerevi [as well].”
Eddie Jones said he wanted a different leader to help change the fortunes of the Wallabies. (Photo by Julius Dimataga / Rugby Australia)
Skelton, meanwhile, believes the Wallabies have “all the ingredients” to be successful in France, but isn’t so sure his experience at club level necessarily means he will succeed on the international stage.
“Hopefully. In the last few years, I’ve been lucky enough to be part of some winning teams, winning cultures,” he said.
“It’s hard when you transfer that club to international level though, because the stakes are a lot higher. But we’ve got all the ingredients, we’ve got all the players, we’ve got a young group who’s hungry to win and to make our fans.”
Should Skelton’s Wallabies go deep at next month’s World Cup, the leadership change will be one of the catalysts behind their success.
But even if they don’t, the fact Skelton, a big man from Sydney’s west, grew up to lead the Wallabies on the world’s biggest stage shows that rugby very much remains a game for all shapes and sizes.
cs
Roar Guru
I've been a huge fan of Big Will ever since he stepped onto the field for the Tahs. Or more precisely, ever since I saw him reach from onside all the way across the line-out maul and grab the opposition ball carrier in that first game. I'd never seen such a great reach before. I warmed even more when I saw that the giant had soft hands. To top it off, my abiding impression is that he's a lovely bloke. He has my every best wish. And yet, and yet ... I'm made to hesitate over the wisdom of the choice by the words of the all time most capped Wallaby and second longest serving captain (after Hoops), George Gregan. In his memoir, Halfback Half Forward (2008), George writes: 'and one thing I've learned about captaincy is that you do have to want to take it on' (p. 226)
Guzzle
Roar Rookie
Holloway Hooper AAA White Slipper were in the leadership group established by Eddie. Looks like he has lost a fair bit now. Anyway Skelton shouldn`t listen to White or Slipper at all. QC was a leader. He should`ve been captain. Eddie what a mess he has made.
jameswm
Roar Guru
You don't have to have played a lot of tests to be a leader. McReight captained our good U20s team. He is by all accounts a leader and led well in that tournament. I am in the squad so cannot comment further than this.
Guzzle
Roar Rookie
McReight and Kellaway aren`t leaders, they have barely played any tests, especially Fraser. Slipper and White have been average leaders. Skelton should avoid them at all costs and Kerevi is quiet. He leads by example, not with his words.
Guzzle
Roar Rookie
Kearns, Lynagh and of course Eales had winning records. Not the other two.
Tim
Roar Rookie
Hi Tight Head, I think this is already happening. SR has floundered for too long and a lot of our talent is already leaving for overseas or joining the NRL. It sucks but I honestly can't blame them
Rugbytrylover
Roar Rookie
Gary… there are many types of leaders…not all have to be boisterous or the best speaker….
Rugbytrylover
Roar Rookie
Sheek… you say “ but when I look at the roll call of past great Wallaby captains, I cannot in my wildest imaginings put Skelton anywhere near the top, or even the middle.”….. You’re right… he hasn’t captained a Test yet!
sheek
Roar Guru
whistleblower (retired) - fair enough.
whistleblower (retired)
Roar Rookie
You can't equate leadership with winning, they are totally different. We have had many fine leaders, not the least Hooper, Slipper, Kearns, Lynagh and of course Eales and Kick-too-far and others. Not all have a winning record. I suspect Skelton will perform the role admirably. LP:::::::::::::::::
sheek
Roar Guru
I sincerely wish Skelton well, but when I look at the roll call of past great Wallaby captains, I cannot in my wildest imaginings put Skelton anywhere near the top, or even the middle. Inspired captaincy choice? I doubt that very much. In all seriousness & yes, it's only my opinion, but if Skelton is the best captaincy candidate, then it just tells us how poor our leadership qualities are. You only have to look at the poor discipline of the team over the past 8 years, & repeat mistake offenders, to appreciate not only a lack of leadership, but also self-awareness. Look at Hooper, the most capped captain in Wallaby history. Yet he wouldn't make my list of the top 10 captains on leadership ability, or possibly even the top 20. He captained Oz so often simply because there were no suitable alternatives to challenge him. Some people will disagree with me vehemently, but look at the history, it doesn't lie. Since 2005, the Wallabies have mostly been a basket-case of poor & indifferent results. Not since Graeme Yallop was so wrongly (not his fault) given the captaincy of a young & untried Australian cricket team in 1978, during the WSC civil war split, have I felt so sorry for an anointed captain. Good luck Skelton. You're going to need that & God only knows what else to get you through this.
Wizz
Roar Rookie
I feel the same I think he will get that 5 % he prob needs to be that GUY that we all feel he can be..Like dominate a W.C something similar to Pocock or McCaw.. barnstorming up middle park runs ,bonecrunching tackles create unstoppable rolling mauls and monster people over top of tackled player..that's the guy we know he can be and captaincy may fire him up ..
jameswm
Roar Guru
Skelton has Slipper, McReight, Tate, Kerevi, Kellaway, White and others around.
jameswm
Roar Guru
"Skelton is not even a guaranteed run on team selection...". You're kidding, right? Have you watched the last few games? Anyway, he is now.
jameswm
Roar Guru
I hope you're right.
Wizz
Roar Rookie
Told my Samoan mate last week about Skelton he thought I was talking about AAA I explained because he is mad league that kangaroos would never let a Skelton captain and that he was from wenty magpies next suburb too us and had same background coming to OZ via N.Z ..response might watch a game or two W.C. lol leagues won the code war.
Jazz
Roar Rookie
Only needs Nic White undo of that instead :-)
Gary Russell-Sharam
Roar Rookie
I cannot get my head around Skelton being made the captain, usually captains are selected due to them being one of the standout players for their team, someone that plays the full eighty minutes at a top level. They usually are eloquent in speaking and are looked up to (in this case all would do so) in ways that are not related to their height. Captains are usually inspirational to the team. I have watched Will in his games and he is a big body, but I struggle to see him as the best lock running around in a gold Jersey. I haven't noticed anyone hanging on his words while in a huddle at half time or in a injury break, usually its one of the smallest blokes that are doing the encouragement words. He might be a nice bloke that they all like, but being liked is not all that wins you the battle. Being a leader is the ability to get the team to follow you into battle, by your actions and your words. Its a combination of both. I have not noticed this happening openly while watching matches in regards to Will. My preference would have been for a player that has the ability to get into players heads and lead them with encouraging words and actions. On the surface I have not seen that happening with Will. Maybe he is what EJ wants, a yes man that will follow orders and not rebuke about it. It would seem that this is EJ preference.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
I'd say it's highly likely a 25 year old lock who had only been fully pro for about 4 years would likely have improved no matter where he was
woodart
Roar Rookie
Even Richie mcCaw had to grow into being captain, and he was surrounded by other leaders. Who has Skelton got around him for support???? Apart from white(not exactly rock solid) Eddie has lost/sacked all of the other leaders. Was Skelton ever part of a leadership group in any of his constantly spruiked euro champ teams? Turning down the captaincy DOESNT make you right for the job. Anybody who seriously believes that doesn't know much/anything about leadership.