Will Skelton

William "Will" Skelton (born 3 May 1992) is an Australian rugby union footballer, who plays as a lock for La Rochelle in the French Top 14 competition. 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 18 caps for Australia between 2014 and 2016.

Will Skelton
Will Skelton in Sydney Stars kit.
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]
Weight125 kg (19 st 10 lb; 276 lb)[2]
SchoolThe Hills Sports High School
UniversityAustralian Catholic University
Notable relative(s)Cameron Skelton (brother)
Brad Mika (cousin)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Lock
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
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
31		 (10)
(0)
(15)
Correct as of 10 November 2017
Super Rugby
Years Team Apps (Points)
2013–2017 Waratahs 64 (15)
Correct as of 3 June 2017
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2011
2014–2016		 Samoa u20s
Australia
18
(10)
Correct as of 19 November 2016

Family and early life

Skelton was born in Auckland, New Zealand, and moved with his family to Sydney at the age of 10.[3] 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.[4][5][6][7]

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.[8]

Skelton joined the Sydney University rugby club in 2010.[9] 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.[9]

Rugby career

In March 2013, Skelton was signed to the Waratahs' Extended Player Squad by coach Michael Cheika.[3][9] He made his Super Rugby debut against the Stormers,[4] and was selected to play for the Waratahs against the British and Irish Lions in June of that year.[8]

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.[10] He was named in the Australia squad for the June tests in 2014.[11]

Skelton 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.[12] His offload game has been compared to Sonny Bill Williams'.[13]

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.

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.

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.[14] As of September 2018 Skelton had lost 21kg weight since joining Saracens, bringing his weight to 125-130kg.[15] During his time at Saracens he has won two Premiership titles in 2018 and 2019.[16][17] He also helped Saracens win the European Champions Cup in 2019.[18]

He signed for French side La Rochelle ahead of the 2020–21 season. [19]

References
  1. "Will Skelton". Waratahs Rugby. Archived from the original on 6 June 2017. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  2. "Will Skelton's dramatic weight loss was a major talking point today". www.rugbypass.com.
  3. "Towering young Skelton joins Waratahs". ABC. 21 March 2013. Archived from the original on 23 March 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. "Meet Cameron: Chiefs sign 145kg younger brother of Will Skelton". allblacks.com. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
  7. "Chiefs sign Will Skelton's younger, bigger brother". ESPN Scrum. ESPN. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
  8. 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.
  9. "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.
  10. 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 24 April 2016. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  11. 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.
  12. "Skelton debut impresses McKenzie". Planet Rugby. 21 June 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  13. CHRIS BARCLAY (27 July 2014). "Similarities between Will Skelton and SBW". Stuff.co.nz. Fairfax New Zealand. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  14. "Saracens - Wallaby lock Will Skelton to re-join Saracens". www.saracens.com.
  15. "Will Skelton's dramatic weight loss was a major talking point today". www.rugbypass.com.
  16. "Premiership final: Exeter Chiefs 10-27 Saracens". BBC. 26 May 2018. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  17. "Premiership final: Exeter Chiefs 34-37 Saracens". BBC. 1 June 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  18. "Leinster 10-20 Saracens: English side win third Champions Cup in Newcastle". BBC. 11 May 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  19. "Top 14 : Will Skelton vers La Rochelle". Sudouest.fr (in French). 2 March 2020.
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