Waratahs giant Will Skelton vows to throw his weight around in 2015

WARATAHS lock Will Skelton has vowed to harness the full force of his giant 140kg frame to propel his game to a new level this season.

DO NOT USE UNTIL PERMISSION GRANTED FROM TELEGRAPH SPORTS EDITOR . Will Skelton after Waratahs training at the bus loop oval, Moore Prk, Sydney. pic Mark Evans

WARATAHS lock Will Skelton has vowed to harness the full force of his giant 140kg frame to propel his game to a new level this season.

“I’m not gonna slim down and get to 120 and be a stick, I want to get as strong as I can and also really get that base fitness so I can last those matches and play 80 minutes,” Skelton said.

Skelton attracted criticism in the Wallabies spring tour for weak positioning in the scrum.

“I’ve been working really hard with our props here with Keps [Sekope Kepu], Paddy Ryan and Tilse [Jeremy Tilse] to try to get to the optimum position where I can be strongest in the scrum,” Skelton said.

Skelton, 22, established himself as a pivotal member of the Waratahs’ title-winning team and earned eight Test caps for the Wallabies last year.

Now, after a brief visit to see family in Samoa with his fiance, the 203cm giant is back and setting his sights on an even bigger year ahead.

“For me personally I’m just trying to build on what happened last year,” Skelton said.

Will Skelton during Waratahs training.

Since making his Super Rugby debut in 2013, Skelton has established himself as one of the most destructive ball runners in Australian rugby.

His size affords him a unique ability to drain opposition defensive lines, with many defenders often required to take him down.

But it has also led to him being criticised for a slow pace across the ground, a shortcoming that was made most obvious against the conditioned European packs the Wallabies faced in last year’s spring tour.

Skelton is comfortable with the knowledge that his strength can also, at times, be his weakness.

“One thing I’ve learnt from Cheik [Michael Cheika] is to really play to your strengths and one strength for me is being a big guy,” he said.

Born in New Zealand and of Samoan descent, Skelton has two younger brothers who he wishes to one day play alongside at first class level.

However the elder of the two, Cameron, was last year snatched up by the Waikato Chiefs, meaning Will may first encounter his younger brother as they line up on opposite sides of the pitch.

“Seeing him coming through the ranks at the junior Tahs and Sydney Uni I’ve always wanted to play with him,” Skelton said.

“But he’s got his own path and his own journey for his career and if it happens it happens but if not then good luck to him.”

Will Skelton after Waratahs training.

Asked how he would feel if it eventuated that he had to play against his brother, Skelton said, “it will be fun.”

“At the end of the day it’s a game of rugby and if he’s in the other team I’ll be happy to line up against him.”

Amazingly at just 19, Cameron is the larger of the two, standing at 205cm tall and weighing in at 153kg.

With the youngest brother, Logan, also no small human Skelton is appreciative of his parents who he said, “struggled” to keep the brothers fed.

“As you can see we’re all big guys in my family,” Skelton said. “Mum and dad worked really hard just to put food on the table for us so I guess it’s our time now to pay them back.”

It’s a long season ahead for Skelton with this year’s Super Rugby season followed by the Rugby World Cup in England.

At the moment he’s just focused on winning another title with the Waratahs.

Will Skelton after Waratahs training.

“We just see it as a level playing ground, everyone is equal and we aren’t defending anything,” he said.

“We are trying to attack this competition and really lead from the front.”

Skelton and the Waratahs will be preparing for their title defence with two trial matches to be played in Western Sydney.

“It’s a great thing for the kids out west,” Skelton said of the Western Sydney fixtures, “it’s league dominated out there so it will be great to really get rugby out there as a brand.”

The Waratahs first trial will be next Saturday at the Parramatta Rugby Club against a combined Randwick, Sydney Uni and Parramatta outfit before their February 6 encounter with the Sonny-Bill Williams led Chiefs at Campbelltown Stadium.

Their first Super Rugby match will be on February 15 against the Western Force at Allianz Stadium.

Originally published as Waratahs giant Will Skelton vows to throw his weight around in 2015