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Will Skelton

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Will Skelton
Will Skelton in Sydney Stars kit.
Birth nameWilliam Skelton
Date of birth (1992-05-03) 3 May 1992 (age 32)
Place of birthAuckland, New Zealand
Height2.03 m (6 ft 8 in)[1]
Weight140 kg (22 st 1 lb)[1]
SchoolThe Hills Sports High School
UniversityAustralian Catholic University
Notable relative(s)Cameron Skelton (brother)
Brad Mika (cousin)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Lock
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2014- Sydney Stars 5 (10)
Correct as of 24 October 2014
Super Rugby
Years Team Apps (Points)
2013– Template:Rut Waratahs 52 (5)
Correct as of 21 July 2016
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2014– Australia 18 (10)
Correct as of 19 November 2016

Will Skelton (born 3 May 1992) is an Australian rugby union footballer of Samoan descent.He currently plays for the Template:Rut Waratahs in the Super Rugby competition, and his regular playing position is lock.[2]

Family and early life

Skelton was born in Auckland, New Zealand, and moved with his family to Sydney at the age of 10.[2] He is the cousin of former All Black lock Brad Mika.[2][3] and is the older brother of Cameron Skelton. Though smaller than his younger brother, Skelton weighed 150 kg while still a teenager (his playing weight is now 140 kg or under),[1] and he wears a size 18 to 19 (UK) boot.[4][5][6][7]

He played junior rugby league for the Wentworthville Magpies before taking up rugby union at age 15 at The Hills Sports High School in Seven Hills.[3]

Skelton joined the Sydney University rugby club in 2010.[8] In 2011, he was invited into the Waratahs Academy and the ARU's National Academy in Sydney. After a promising first year, a fractured foot sustained in February 2012 prevented him from playing for the remainder of the year.[8]

Rugby career

In March 2013, Skelton was signed to the Waratahs' Extended Player Squad by coach Michael Cheika.[2][8] He made his Super Rugby debut against the Stormers,[4] and was selected to play for the Waratahs against the British and Irish Lions in June of that year.[3]

Skelton playing for Sydney Stars in the NRC.

In 2014, Skelton was approached by Graham Henry to join the Blues in Auckland, but turned him down.[9] He was named in the Wallabies squad for the June tests in 2014.[10]

Skelton made his test debut for Australia against France on 21 June 2014, starting as the right lock and scoring the first try for the Wallabies in their 39–13 win.[11] His offload game has been compared to Auckland-born rugby footballer Sonny Bill Williams.[12]

The Waratahs made the Super Rugby semi-finals in 2015. Skelton was included in the Wallabies squad for The Rugby Championship and he started against the Springboks in the 24-20 win at Suncorp Stadium.

Skelton's inclusion in the Wallabies squad for the 2015 Rugby World Cup was cut short after he sustained a shoulder injury during the tournament.

References

  1. ^ a b c "Will Skelton". Waratahs Rugby. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d "Towering young Skelton joins Waratahs". ABC. 21 March 2013. Archived from the original on 23 March 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ a b c Robinson, Georgina (15 June 2013). "Slimming down and stepping up: Tahs' big bopper faces toughest test". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 31 October 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ a b Guinness, Rupert (15 March 2014). "Rugby World Cup 2015: Will Skelton says set piece not size is key". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 24 April 2016. {{cite news}}: |archive-date= requires |archive-url= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ Dutton, Chris. "Michael Cheika flags plans to lure Will Skelton's super-sized brother Cameron back to Australia". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
  6. ^ "Meet Cameron: Chiefs sign 145kg younger brother of Will Skelton". allblacks.com. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
  7. ^ "Chiefs sign Will Skelton's younger, bigger brother". ESPN Scrum. ESPN. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
  8. ^ a b c "National Academy Player Will Skelton signs with NSW Waratahs". ARU Media Unit. 21 March 2013. Archived from the original on 31 October 2013. Retrieved 10 June 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ Payten, Iain (15 March 2014). "NSW big man Will Skelton turned down Sir Graham Henry and All Blacks chance to become a giant for the Waratahs". The Courier Mail. Archived from the original on 24 April 2016. Retrieved 24 April 2016. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  10. ^ Robinson, Georgina (22 May 2014). "Will Skelton one of 11 Waratahs in Wallabies squad". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 22 May 2014. Retrieved 11 June 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  11. ^ "Skelton debut impresses McKenzie". Planet Rugby. 21 June 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2014. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= requires |archive-url= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  12. ^ CHRIS BARCLAY (27 July 2014). "Similarities between Will Skelton and SBW". Stuff.co.nz. Fairfax New Zealand. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
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