English heavyweights Saracens are on the lookout for a new second row and they have declared Will Skelton is in their sights.
The 2015-16 Premiership and Champions Cup winners have been hammered by injuries to their second row, with England stars George Kruis and Maro Itoje out until December.
'Sarries' are after someone to cover those injuries and potentially for the Six Nations period at the start of 2017.
Skelton is contracted to the ARU and the Waratahs until the end of the 2017 season, with any release unlikely until the end of the 2017 Spring Tour.
"Skelton is one of the players we are looking at,” the Saracens director of rugby, Mark McCall, told British media.
“He is in Australia’s touring party and what we want, given the young second rows we have coming through, is someone who will add value.
“We are not looking for someone who is ordinary. Michael Rhodes filled in for us against Leicester and did really well. He has only played in the second row occasionally, but was happy to fit in.”
Saracens had previously sought out South Africa’s Eben Etzebeth, but the possibility of acquiring the Springbok fell through with his limited availability.
Skelton was named in Australia's 32-man Spring Tour squad last week, ahead of their November 5 opener against Wales.
