Champions Cup: Will Skelton eyeing another English scalp after transformation in Premiership

David Skippers
Wallabies star Will Skelton during a warm-up for La Rochelle.

La Rochelais' Will Skelton during a Captain's Run at the Orange Velodrome, Marseille. Picture date: Friday May 27, 2022.

Although Will Skelton credits English rugby for his transformation as a player, he will be determined to maintain his perfect record against teams from that country in this season’s Champions Cup when La Rochelle face Exeter Chiefs in Bordeaux on Sunday.

The behemoth Wallabies lock joined Saracens from the Waratahs in 2017 and his stint at the North London club did wonders for his game as he soon became a top class player.

However, there was no place for sentiment when La Rochelle and Sarries clashed in their Champions Cup quarter-final earlier this month as the Top 14 outfit claimed a deserved victory over their Premiership opponents.

Third win against English opposition

It was the third time that Skelton had been victorious against a Premiership club in this season’s Champions Cup – after La Rochelle also beat Northampton and Gloucester – and he is keen to seal a fourth victory in Sunday’s semi-final against Exeter.

“This is the job, it is not something I do on purpose!” Skelton told The Mirror.

“It’s the luck of the draw that we got the English teams. Unfortunately, there can be only one winner on the field.”

The 30-year-old arrived at Sarries weighing 146 kilograms, but his stint at the club saw him change his diet and lifestyle.

He lost 12 kilos during a pre-season programme which saw him playing a leading role during the Premiership side’s victorious 2019 Champions Cup campaign.

“Will showed great dedication to transform himself physically to allow his incredible talent to be hugely impactful,” said Saracens boss Mark McCall.

Skelton has maintained those high standards since joining his French club in 2020 and became just the sixth player to win Europe’s premier cup competition with two different clubs when La Rochelle beat Leinster in last year’s final.

“I learned not only about myself as a rugby player but as a person in English rugby,” said Skelton. “I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the Prem.”

He is well aware that a big challenge awaits against the Chiefs – a side which he has never beaten at their Sandy Park headquarters.

“Whenever I played Exeter the physicality was always there,” he said. “With a lot of their players leaving this is almost their last dance. They will definitely bring it.”

Excited by Eddie Jones’ Wallabies return

Skelton is also excited about Eddie Jones returning to Australia to take over the Wallabies‘ coaching reins and expects the veteran coach to make a big impact as Australia build towards this year’s World Cup in France.

“For us to be successful in the World Cup it’s a short five months we’ve got with Eddie,” he added. “But he has already brought some life back into Aussie rugby.”

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