Will Skelton is set to become the largest and most unexpected Wallabies captain in history after his sudden appointment.
Not many had predicted the towering Skelton to take over the leadership, however, coach Eddie Jones has shown massive faith in the La Rochelle giant after naming him captain of his 33-player squad.
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"My job is to come here and change the team and part of that is changing the way that teams lead and Will's a good team man," Jones told reporters.
"He's played a lot of winning teams in Europe and he brings that almost common touch to the team to bring them together.
"He's going to be well supported by Tate as vice-captain, we've got senior guys in 'Slips' (James Slipper), Nic White, Andrew Kellaway and Samu Kerevi to support him.
It will make Skelton the fifth captain in 2023, with Michael Hooper (calf) and Allan Alaalatoa (knee) missing the squad.
Tate McDermott, who captained the side against New Zealand last week, will serve as his deputy. Meanwhile, prop James Slipper, who was named co-captain at the start of the year, has been included as he continues to battle the impressive Angus Bell for a spot in the starting side.
Skelton also becomes the first overseas-based player to captain the Wallabies and the first Pacific Islander-heritage Wallabies captain at the Rugby World Cup, a sign of the changing demographic of the Wallabies squad.
"It's very special, not just for me but for my family. Representing this country and putting on the jersey is one thing and then to be named captain selected by Eddie is something I will never forget," Skelton said.
"With that comes a lot of responsibilities and a bit more pressure but for me, it's just about being myself, leading in the only way I can which is through my actions.
"I'm not much of a talker around the team but it's about those micro comms and getting this group well connected for the hard slog that will be the World Cup."
Even with the Wallabies having a storied history of selecting locks as captain, Skelton is the biggest by far.
The 2.03 m Skelton edges out 2011 RWC captain James Horwill and 1999 RWC winner John Eales (both 2m) whilst his 147kg build is significantly heavier than Allan Alaalatoa's 125kg frame.
"We just went for the biggest bloke in the team," Jones joked. "It was an easy call."
Jones also has a track record of going the unconventional route when it comes to his captains.
On his arrival in England, Jones turned to firebrand hooker Dylan Hartley in 2016. It was an inspired pick, with Harltey leading the English to the Grand Slam and back-to-back Six Nations titles as part of a world-record 18-game winning streak.
Skelton has always been a raw talent but that's nothing compared to his leadership experience.
“I captained once and that was for a Wallaby XV,” he recalled with a smile.
“We had three days to prepare in 2016 in Bordeaux against the French Barbarians (which they lost 19-11) so I lack a lot of (experience) but I'm excited for this challenge.
“I'm excited to see what this group can do. Very young, very enthusiastic and ambitious and we're looking to make some headlines."
However, Skelton is a proven winner and returns to his new home in France with more responsibility than he ever imagined.
With the leadership appointment, Jones is looking for the giant Skelton's winning ways to rub off on the side.
