Will Skelton

William Skelton (born 3 May 1992) is an Australian rugby union player, who plays as a lock for La Rochelle in the French Top 14 competition.

Will Skelton
Skelton playing for La Rochelle in 2023
Birth nameWilliam Skelton
Date of birth (1992-05-03) 3 May 1992
Place of birthAuckland, New Zealand
Height2.03 m (6 ft 8 in)[1]
Weight135 kg (21 st 4 lb; 298 lb)[1]
SchoolThe Hills Sports High School
UniversityAustralian Catholic University
Notable relative(s)Cameron Skelton (brother)
Jeral Skelton (cousin)
Brad Mika (cousin)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Lock
Current team La Rochelle
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2013–2017 Sydney University 13 (10)
Correct as of 1 July 2017
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2014–2015
2016
2017–2020
2020–		 Sydney Stars
Western Sydney Rams
Saracens
La Rochelle		 5
5
77
64		 (10)
(0)
(30)
(25)
Correct as of 3 April 2023
Super Rugby
Years Team Apps (Points)
2013–2017 Waratahs 64 (15)
Correct as of 3 June 2017
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2011
2014–		 Samoa U20
Australia
30
(10)
Correct as of 24 September 2023

Skelton was born in New Zealand, and he is of Samoan descent; he moved to Australia as a child and qualified for Australia through residency. He won 28 caps for Australia since 2014 and played at the 2015 Rugby World Cup. In August 2023 he was named captain of Australia for the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

Early life

Skelton was born in Auckland, New Zealand, and moved with his family to Sydney at the age of 10.[2] He is the older brother of Cameron Skelton and is a cousin of former New Zealand lock Brad Mika. Though smaller than his younger brother, Skelton weighed 150 kg while still a teenager and he wears size 18 to 19 (UK) boots.[3][4][5][6]

He played junior rugby league for the Wentworthville Magpies before taking up rugby union at age 15 at The Hills Sports High School in Seven Hills.[7]

Skelton joined the Sydney University rugby club in 2010.[8] In 2011, he was invited into the Waratahs Academy and the ARU's National Academy in Sydney. After a promising first year, a fractured foot sustained in February 2012 prevented him from playing for the remainder of the year.[8]

Rugby career

Waratahs

In March 2013, Skelton was signed to the Waratahs' Extended Player Squad by coach Michael Cheika.[2][8] He made his Super Rugby debut against the Stormers,[3] and was selected to play for the Waratahs against the British and Irish Lions in June of that year.[7]

Skelton playing for Sydney Stars in the NRC.

In 2014, Skelton was approached by Graham Henry to join the Blues in Auckland, but turned him down.[9] His offload game has been compared to Sonny Bill Williams'.[10]

The Waratahs made the Super Rugby semi-finals in 2015. Skelton was included in the Australia squad for the Rugby Championship and he started against the Springboks in the 24-20 win at Suncorp Stadium.

Saracens
Will Skelton in a ruck playing for Saracens against Racing 92 in 2019
Skelton playing for Saracens in 2019

On 4 April 2017 it was announced that Skelton was to join Saracens on a 2-year deal beginning in the 2017/18 season following a successful run of 8 games whilst on a short-term loan earlier in the season.[11] As of September 2018 Skelton had lost 21 kg weight since joining Saracens, bringing his weight to 125–130 kg.[12] During his time at Saracens he has won two Premiership titles in 2018 and 2019.[13][14] He also helped Saracens win the European Champions Cup in 2019.[15]

La Rochelle

He signed for French club La Rochelle ahead of the 2020–21 season.[16] Skelton was called up to play for the Wallabies again for the 2021 end-of-year rugby union internationals, alongside former teammates Kurtley Beale, Tolu Latu and Rory Arnold.[17] On 22 June 2021, he extended his contract with the French side until 2025.[18]

On 28 May 2022, he led La Rochelle to an epic 21-24 win against Leinster in the 2022 European Rugby Champions Cup Final at Stade Vélodrome in Marseille, being one of the best players on the field and earning his third European Rugby Champions Cup trophy.[19] The following season, he won his third Heineken Champions Cup with La Rochelle, beating once again Leinster in the 2023 final in Dublin, Ireland on 20 May.

International

Skelton was named in the Australia squad for the June tests in 2014[20] and made his test debut for Australia against France on 21 June 2014. Starting as the right lock and scoring the first try for the Wallabies in their 39–13 win.[21]

Skelton's inclusion in the Wallabies squad for the 2015 Rugby World Cup was cut short after he sustained a shoulder injury during the tournament.

In 2016 he struggled with injury but added 4 caps to his tally, coming off the bench in the spring tour in wins against Scotland and France.[22]

1,814 days after his last test cap Skelton came off the bench in the Wallabies 2021 spring tour in 3 tests.[22]

In 2023 Skelton was named the captain of the Wallabies for the 2023 Rugby World Cup.[23]

Honours

Waratahs

Saracens

La Rochelle

Australia

References
  1. "Will Skelton". Wallabies. Archived from the original on 11 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  2. "Towering young Skelton joins Waratahs". ABC. 21 March 2013. Archived from the original on 23 March 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  3. Guinness, Rupert (15 March 2014). "Rugby World Cup 2015: Will Skelton says set piece not size is key". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  4. Dutton, Chris. "Michael Cheika flags plans to lure Will Skelton's super-sized brother Cameron back to Australia". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
  5. "Meet Cameron: Chiefs sign 145kg younger brother of Will Skelton". allblacks.com. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
  6. "Chiefs sign Will Skelton's younger, bigger brother". ESPN Scrum. ESPN. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
  7. Robinson, Georgina (15 June 2013). "Slimming down and stepping up: Tahs' big bopper faces toughest test". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 31 October 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  8. "National Academy Player Will Skelton signs with NSW Waratahs". ARU Media Unit. 21 March 2013. Archived from the original on 31 October 2013. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
  9. Payten, Iain (15 March 2014). "NSW big man Will Skelton turned down Sir Graham Henry and All Blacks chance to become a giant for the Waratahs". The Courier Mail. Archived from the original on 29 May 2016. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  10. CHRIS BARCLAY (27 July 2014). "Similarities between Will Skelton and SBW". Stuff.co.nz. Fairfax New Zealand. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  11. "Saracens - Wallaby lock Will Skelton to re-join Saracens". www.saracens.com.
  12. "Will Skelton's dramatic weight loss was a major talking point today". www.rugbypass.com.
  13. "Premiership final: Exeter Chiefs 10-27 Saracens". BBC. 26 May 2018. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  14. "Premiership final: Exeter Chiefs 34-37 Saracens". BBC. 1 June 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  15. "Leinster 10-20 Saracens: English side win third Champions Cup in Newcastle". BBC. 11 May 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  16. "Top 14 : Will Skelton vers La Rochelle". Sudouest.fr (in French). 2 March 2020.
  17. "Going for broke: Rennie gets his way as six overseas stars named for Wallabies' spring tour". Fox Sports. 8 October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  18. "Will Skelton Wallabies return highly unlikely after lock re-signs with La Rochelle". ESPN. 22 June 2021. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  19. "Retiere's late try sees La Rochelle beat Leinster to win European Champions Cup". France 24. 28 May 2022. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  20. Robinson, Georgina (22 May 2014). "Will Skelton one of 11 Waratahs in Wallabies squad". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 22 May 2014. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
  21. "Skelton debut impresses McKenzie". Planet Rugby. 21 June 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  22. "William Skelton | Player Profile | Wallabies Rugby". wallabies.rugby. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  23. "Quade Cooper axed, Will Skelton to skipper Wallabies at Rugby World Cup". ABC News. 10 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
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