Will Skelton grew up just four kilometres from CommBank Stadium and is certain Sydney’s western suburbs have more Rugby discoveries just waiting to be unearthed.
The giant 148kg Wallabies lock knows the spin-offs from the 2027 Rugby World Cup on home soil will be far-reaching in terms of inspiring young boys and girls to play the game.
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Galvanising more athletic youngsters in the vast population belt of western Sydney could be one of the biggest with the right back-up through development officers and targeted schools programs.
More immediately, Skelton is excited about his own homecoming to Sydney’s west and the Wallabies bouncing back in Saturday’s Test against Argentina.
He grew up in Merrylands and this flash 30,000-seat stadium wasn’t even built when he played his last Test in Sydney in 2016.
“I’m proud of where I come from. I lived in Merrylands my whole life until I went overseas, after coming from New Zealand when I was 10,” Skelton said.
“You never forget your roots. I’ll definitely be taking my son Juju (2) to where I grew up.
“The amount of talent and potential out west in Sydney is second to none. Hopefully, more can be done to tap into that over the next few years because it will only boost Australian Rugby in my opinion.”
Skelton has been a curious case in Australian Rugby. He won his Test debut on the back of being part of the NSW Waratahs’ run to Super Rugby glory in 2014. A torn pectoral muscle ended his 2015 Rugby World Cup campaign at just two pool games. By the end of 2017, he was based in Europe and the Wallabies were still to see the best of him.
His call-ups over the past 20 months have all been while the Wallabies have been abroad. His assertive, trophy-winning form with French club La Rochelle has only translated in flashes.
His most recent Tests have been in Pretoria, Paris, London, Cardiff, Florence and Dublin which is why this Sydney Test is special.
Finally, he is with the Wallabies in camp for an extended period in Australia.
This creates the best chance for Skelton’s formidable strengths to be ingrained in the pack not just be a hasty add-on.
Skelton, 31, feels it too. For all the silverware and plaudits he has won in Europe, 25 Tests over a decade as a Wallaby has left plenty more to achieve.
“I’ve probably had a lot of opportunity in the jersey and probably not taken the best step forward in my personal opinion, performance wise,” Skelton said.
“Obviously, this is a different opportunity, a chance to inject some experience and wisdom and see what I can add as an older player now.
“For sure, being in camp (for an extended period) is going to help in terms of detail, learning plays, knowing my role and building connections with other players.”
Piecing together new players, new coaching voices, fresh on-field systems and game style changes was never going to happen with a click of the fingers.
No one imagined hostile Pretoria being easy on any front last weekend. No one saw 43-12 in the tea leaves either.
Skelton had his moments after losing the ball early. He made a vital steal at the back of a breakdown and ripped loose another South African ball close to the tryline in defence.
Skelton’s assets will be important in the Wallabies’ regrouping quickly and finding more rhythm to their forward play.
Going through mauls, adding power behind the tighthead prop at scrum time, rumbling ball carries, targeting the right rucks … all those features in his game need to come to the fore.
“Playing in France, the importance of a good scrum, a good set piece, is essential.
“That facet is a strength you can never take away and it has to be world class to be the team we want to be at the Wallabies,” Skelton said.
It starts at training.
“We’ve got all the ingredients … experience, youth, edge. We’ve got to put it together and execute,” Skelton said.
“Edge? Edge is being tough, not letting guys through in contact at training, it’s competing every set, every maul and every scrum.”
Towering Richie Arnold won a debut off the bench as a Wallaby he never imagined in Pretoria.
Skelton knows coach Eddie Jones has done his homework on this wildcard in 2023’s plans.
“Richie is physical and has that edge. Richie is also a pest on the field and particularly a menace in the lineout,” Skelton said.
“He’s been playing world class Rugby at Toulouse. I hope he brings that into the gold jersey.”
Opportunities can start just about anywhere in rugby. Fellow lock Richie Arnold is a beacon for bush Rugby.
He trained barefoot and was once a humble third grader for the Gentlemen of Murwillumbah on the Far North Coast of NSW.
The former sugar mill rigger wore a banana as a club emblem beside twin Rory in those early days of beers and fun bus trips between country stops.
He was a late developer. Richie is now the toast of Toulouse as a French Top 14 champion.
You can coach certain things but you can’t coach anyone up to be a skyscraping 2.08m tall.
Likewise, you can’t coach someone to be Skelton’s size with his dynamic touches and maul-shredding ability.
They are impressive raw materials.
All the elements gelling may seem a bit further away for the Wallabies after Pretoria but it was never going to be an easy start for any team.
Improving combinations, lifting physicality, mindset, better discipline and getting the best from players like Skelton and Arnold will all be part of determining the course from here.
