Will Skelton: 'I didn’t want the gig'

If you ever needed someone with broad shoulders to take the criticism that came the Wallabies’ way post-Rugby World Cup 2023, man-mountain Will Skelton would be that person.

Not that now departed head coach Eddie Jones chose the hulking forward for that reason as hardly anyone, let alone the cock-sure Wallabies coach, would have predicted how badly the two-time previous winners would perform in France.

Australia crashed out of the tournament at the pool stage for the first time ever in what was a chastening first experience as Wallabies captain, a job that he never sought in the first place.

You can watch Fresh Starts, episode 1, here >>

"It was a shock at first, I didn't want the gig,” Skelton said whilst in conversation with RugbyPass TV’s Johnny Beattie during an oyster-tasting session on France’s Atlantic coast, near to Skelton’s home in La Rochelle.

“He (Eddie Jones) sent me a text on Tuesday afternoon saying I have got a job for you.

“I’ve heard about the stories about Eddie and his texts, late at night and early morning, and then he gave me a call and he said, ‘mate, I think you are best fit for us to captain the squad heading to France’.

“I spoke to my wife and my family, and I rang him the next day and said, ‘I’ll do it, I don’t want to change who I am or how I play, how I speak, I just want to do it how I do it’.

“Eddie was all about that, he said, ‘I don’t want you to change anything you’re doing now, I want you to lead us, connect the team and bring us together’, and the rest is history.

“We trained bloody hard under Eddie and the staff there. I thought our squad was ready and we fell short of what we wanted to achieve as a team.”

Controversially Jones left out two Wallaby veterans in Michael Hooper, who has since turned to sevens, and maverick fly-half Quade Cooper.

Was Skelton as shocked by that decision as by the one to make him captain? “Of course. Whenever you leave almost 200 caps at home there’s always going to be questions from within the group, from outside the group. Straight away, I thought those boys were a shoo-in in the squad but like we have said in the past, it is the coach who selects the squad.

“We had trust in the squad that we had too; we had a good squad, we had a young group but our ambition was right up there.”

Skelton is closing in on his 32nd birthday but hopes to be a part of new head coach Joe Schmidt’s plans in what he sees as a crucial building period before Australia host the British & Irish Lions in 2025 and then the Men’s Rugby World Cup in 2027.

“My focus is on trying to move on from that (France 2023) and perform well club-wise to get that opportunity again,” said Skelton, who has won 30 caps over nine years.

“With a new coach now as well, everything is a bit up in the air now for me and all I can really control now is home, and for me that’s club footy at La Rochelle.

“I have only heard good things about Joe. His resume speaks for itself. It is exciting to see someone of that calibre to take us forward to be where we want to be.

“He is going to bring a lot of detail to the game which may have been lacking, and it is an exciting time to be an Australian rugby player, to aspire to be in that jersey because it is a fresh start.

“He is coming in with a clean slate and he will select who he wants. That might have been my last Test against Georgia last year!”

Happy to leave the dark winter nights of England behind him four years ago having swapped a trophy-laden spell with Saracens for La Rochelle, the 140kg lock is hoping for a big finish to the season in both the Champions Cup and Top 14.

Ronan O’Gara’s team are back-to-back defending European champions but in the Top 14, where they are fifth in the table and looking good for the play-offs, the title has proved elusive, two runners-up finishes in 2021 and 2023 only adding to the determination within the squad that they need to get over the line this year.

“The Brennus for us is right up there with the Champions Cup. It would mean so much,” said Skelton.

You can watch Fresh Starts, episode 1, here >>