Wallabies and Waratahs lock Will Skelton re-signs with the ARU

THE Australian Rugby Union has locked away one of its best young talents with NSW Waratahs lock Will Skelton signing a new two-year contract extension.

Wallabies fan day

THE Australian Rugby Union has locked away one of its best young talents with NSW Waratahs lock Will Skelton signing a new two-year contract extension.

Skelton is one of the Wallabies’ rising stars and at just 22 has already earned eight Test caps and made 39 Super Rugby appearances.

The news provides a significant long-term boost to Australia’s forward stocks post-World Cup at a time when many Wallabies are taking up lucrative overseas contracts.

“I’ve been blessed to have had an opportunity to play for the Wallabies and to win a Super Rugby title, but I still feel I have a lot of improvement left in my game,” Skelton said.

Will Skelton at Wallabies training at Ballymore.

“You need to have high standards for yourself and I’ve been working extremely hard throughout the year to work on all areas of my game to make me a complete 80 minute player.

“Moving forward, we’ve got a great coaching staff at the Waratahs and I really think they’ll offer the best program for me to reach my full potential at both a Super Rugby and Test level.”

At 2.03m and 140kg, Skelton is a genuine giant and is competing with Rob Simmons, James Horwill, Rory Arnold and Dean Mumm for a start in Saturday’s Rugby Championship opener against South Africa.

“I can’t speak highly enough about my experiences with the Wallabies,” Skelton said.

“I can assure you I’ll be doing everything in my power to gain selection once again.

“We’ve got so many great players in Australia, and it was a really special time to be part of the group.
“Once you’ve tasted it, it’s something you definitely want more of.

“Michael Cheika is creating a really strong bond between the players and it’s something I really want to be part of, not only during the upcoming Rugby Championship and Rugby World Cup, but for many years ahead.”

“The group has come together really well over the past two weeks and the support since arriving in Brisbane has been enormous.

“We are expecting a very loud and passionate crowd at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night to bring us home.”

Wallabies Israel Folau and Will Skelton with Harry Jackson, 7, of The Gap.

Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson was thrilled to secure the services of the Auckland-born giant until the end of 2017.

“Naturally we’re delighted that Will has re-committed to the Waratahs and Australian rugby and he will play a critical role in the structure of the team in the next few seasons,” Gibson said.

“Will is the type of player that you can build a team around, he’s got a huge presence on the field physically and is one of the most skilful players I have coached over the years.

“He had another excellent season in 2015, and is undoubtedly one of the highest performing forwards in Australian rugby; he’s growing into an outstanding player and leader within the club.”

Gibson said he expected Skelton to continue to develop and improve his game over the coming seasons.

“Will is still in the early stages of his career, but I expect his development to continue at an impressive rate.

“The challenge for Will is to fully maximise his physical presence and match that with an equivalent ability to carry the ball and create opportunities across the field.”

Originally published as Wallabies and Waratahs lock Will Skelton re-signs with the ARU