The NSW career of London-bound giant Will Skelton is over after he broke a thumb in club rugby

Will Skelton has likely played his last game as a Waratah after breaking a thumb in club rugby. He is likely to be replaced in the second row by a Wallabies flanker.

WALLABIES flanker Ned Hanigan looks set for a return to the second row for the Waratahs this week after big lock Will Skelton suffered a broken thumb playing club rugby on Saturday.

Skelton picked up the injury playing for Sydney Uni in their 37-35 win over Norths in the 2016 Grand Final rematch. The fracture is likely to take 6-8 weeks to heal, meaning the Saracens-bound Skelton may have played his last game for NSW.

The 62-cap Waratah was hopeful of pushing for further Wallabies selection this winter but before departing for London but that may now be a longshot, with Wallabies coach Michael Cheika having already left Skelton out of his squad for the June internationals.

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The loss of Skelton will firm up Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson’s plans to shift Hanigan from blindside flanker to lock for the last two Super Rugby rounds, starting with the Jaguares at Allianz Stadium on Saturday.

Hanigan made a strong impression on debut for the Wallabies in June at no. 6, but with Jack Dempsey also making his Test debut at blindside against Italy, Gibson has choices to make in his back row.

Hanigan only moved from the lock rotation to no. 6 earlier in the season due to Dempsey suffering a nasty ankle injury.

Will Skelton has played his last game for NSW after he broke a thumb playing club rugby.

“Obviously now with Jack Dempsey coming back, we have some selection dilemmas with Jack finding fitness,” Gibson said, prior to the news of Skelton’s broken thumb.

“That’s a good thing for the last two games. It’s an opportunity to perhaps look at Hanigan in the second row.”

Waratahs and Wallabies halfback Nick Phipps will not be ready to make his return against the Argentinians from the syndesmosis ankle injury that kept him out of the June series. The Tahs are lucky to still have two high-class options in Jake Gordon and Matt Lucas at no. 9, however.

Gibson confirmed Kurtley Beale would not make a late-season return to the Waratahs, either in a playing or training capacity.

Beale has re-signed with the Tahs for next season but is currently on leave after finishing up his season with Wasps in London.

Beale picked up a hamstring injury prior to Wasps’ appearance in the Premiership final, so even if Gibson had been keen to organise a cameo from Beale, it would not have been likely.

“​I have had no contact with him, to be honest,” Gibson said.

Ned Hanigan is set to come into the Waratahs side for the injured Will Skelton.

“He becomes our player for 2018 so I imagine he will go straight into the Australian set-up when he gets back, and they’ll work with him on that hamstring injury if needed.”

It’s believed Beale will arrive home late this month.

Another Wallabies playmaker remains a possibility of making a Super Rugby return in the last few weeks, however — Christian Lealiifano.

The inspiring Brumbies captain was diagnosed with cancer last year but after returning to training several months ago, Lealiifano returned for the ACT in a June friendly in Singapore. He played in another game at the weekend in Canberra club rugby, playing fourth grade to take a chance to play with his brother Lix.

Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham has said he is keeping an open mind on bringing Lealiifano back for the club ahead of the finals. The Brumbies have already locked down the Australian conference championship and will duly host a final in Canberra.

A team official said only that Lealiifano was available for selection.

The team is named on Tuesday. Argentina Test halfback Tomas Cubelli is also available for selection after having returned from a knee reconstruction in the same Singapore friendly.

Originally published as The NSW career of London-bound giant Will Skelton is over after he broke a thumb in club rugby