Will Skelton

Will Skelton
Will Skelton playing for Sydney Stars in National Rugby Championship
Full name William Skelton
Date of birth 3 May 1992
Place of birth Auckland, New Zealand
Height 2.04 m (6 ft 8 1⁄2 in)[1]
Weight 148 kg (23 st 4 lb)[2]
School The Hills Sports High School
University Australian Catholic University
Notable relative(s) Brad Mika (cousin)
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position Lock
Professional / senior clubs
Years Club / team Caps (points)
2014 Sydney Stars 5 (10)
correct as of 24 October 2014.
Super Rugby
Years Club / team Caps (points)
2013– Waratahs 32 (5)
Current local club Sydney University
correct as of 18 April 2015.
National team(s)
Years Club / team Caps (points)
2014– Australia 8 (10)
correct as of 30 November 2014.

Will Skelton (born 3 May 1992) is an Australian rugby union footballer of Samoan descent.

He currently plays for the Waratahs in the Super Rugby competition, and his regular playing position is lock.[3][4]

Family and early life

Will Skelton playing for Sydney Stars in National Rugby Championship

Skelton was born in Auckland, New Zealand, and moved with his family to Sydney at the age of 10.[4] He is the cousin of former All Black lock Brad Mika.[4][5]

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.[5]

Skelton joined the Sydney University rugby club in 2010.[6] 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.[6]

Rugby career

In March 2013, Skelton was signed to the Waratahs' Extended Player Squad by coach Michael Cheika.[4][6] He made his Super Rugby debut against the Stormers[3] and was selected to play for the Waratahs against the British and Irish Lions in June of that year.[5] In 2014, Skelton was approached by Graham Henry to join the Blues in Auckland, but turned him down.[7] He was named in the Wallabies squad for the June tests in 2014.[8]

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.[9] His offload game has been compared to Auckland-born rugby footballer Sonny Bill Williams.[10]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.rugby.com.au/wallabies/TheTeam/WallabiesProfilePage.aspx?pid=310
  2. ↑ http://www.rugby.com.au/wallabies/TheTeam/WallabiesProfilePage.aspx?pid=310
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Will Skelton Waratahs Player Profile". Archived from the original on 31 October 2013. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "Towering young Skelton joins Waratahs". ABC. 21 Mar 2013. Archived from the original on 31 October 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 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.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "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.
  7. ↑ http://www.waratahs.com.au/Waratahs/Team/SuperRugbySquad/PlayerDetail.aspx?pid=141
  8. ↑ 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.
  9. ↑ "Skelton debut impresses McKenzie". Planet Rugby. 21 June 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  10. ↑ CHRIS BARCLAY (2014-07-27). "Similarities between Will Skelton and SBW". Stuff.co.nz (Fairfax New Zealand). Retrieved 27 July 2014.

External links