Will Skelton departs Saracens for the Top 14
Saracens' Will Skelton during the European Champions Cup quarter final match at Allianz Park, London.
Championship-bound Saracens have announced that second-row Will Skelton will leave the club at the end of the month having agreed a deal with La Rochelle.
Skelton initially moved to north London on a short-term deal from the Waratahs in December 2016 and impressed in helping Sarries to retain the Champions Cup.
After competing in the 2017 Super Rugby competition, the 6ft 8in lock agreed to join the Londoners on a permanent basis ahead of the 2017/18 campaign.
A lot of hard work and dedication followed as the lock made great strides in his game to play a big role in securing a fourth Premiership title for Mark McCall’s side.
A similarly transformative summer in 2018 led to more success for Skelton on the pitch with a domestic and European double crowning a superb season – the Australian was also named Saracens Players’ Player of the Year.
Skelton made the last of his 77 appearances for the Men in Black in the 24-13 victory at Allianz Park over Leicester Tigers and insists he will never forget his experiences as a Saracen.
RT btsportrugby: How did Ben Spencer get out of that one?! 👏
Brilliant composure by the scrum-half who flicks it to Will Skelton…
Who is quite simply too big to defend 😲
Excellent try, Sarries have their tails up now! pic.twitter.com/qz5IuBLYBg
— The Wolf Pack (@Saries_WolfPack) April 27, 2019
“It’s pretty sad having to leave a great club and great environment,” said Skelton. “But I’m excited for the journey ahead.
“It’s been a special time here. From the first day you see how welcoming the boys are, you see first hand the culture that everyone’s talking about.
“I’m extremely grateful to the coaches and players for embracing myself and my wife and welcoming us to such a family.
“I came here wanting to improve and wanting to make an impact on the team and I think I’ve done that.
“I just want to thank all the coaches, the players and the support staff for investing in me and making my time here very special and a memory I’ll never forget.”
Director of rugby Mark McCall added: “Will has contributed enormously to our club over the last number of years.
“On the field, under the guidance of our brilliant performance team, he showed great dedication to transform himself physically to allow his incredible talent to be hugely impactful.
“Off the field, he was a very thoughtful, supportive teammate who had the respect of everyone at the club.
“Will and Kate will be greatly missed and we wish them well as they start a new journey in France.”