ARU and Waratahs secure Skelton for two years

Wallabies and Waratahs lock Will Skelton has signed a new two year contract
with the Australian Rugby Union which will keep him playing Super Rugby for
at least two more years.

Skelton is one of the rising stars of Australian Rugby and at just 22 years
of age has already earned eight Test caps for the Wallabies and has made
39 Super Rugby appearances.

The giant lock, who took up Rugby as a 15-year-old at The Hills Sports High
School in Western Sydney, will continue his career with the Waratahs and his
re-signing has provided a significant long-term boost to Australian Rugby’s
forward stocks.

Skelton said: “I’ve been blessed to have had an opportunity to
play for the Wallabies and to win a Super Rugby title, but I still feel I have
a lot of improvement left in my game,”

“You need to have high standards for yourself and I’ve been working
extremely hard throughout the year to work on all areas of my game to make me
a complete 80 minute player.

“Moving forward, we’ve got a great coaching staff at the Waratahs
and I really think they’ll offer the best program for me to reach my full
potential at both a Super Rugby and Test level.”

Skelton also said the opportunity to continue to push for a Wallabies
jersey had enormous appeal.

“I can’t speak highly enough my experiences with Wallabies,”
he said. “I can assure you I’ll be doing everything in my power to
gain selection once again.

“We’ve got so many great players in Australia, and it was a really
special time to be part of the group. Once you’ve tasted it, it’s
something you definitely want more of.

“Michael Cheika is creating a really strong bond between the players
and it’s something I really want to be part of, not only during the upcoming
Rugby Championship and Rugby World Cup, but for many years ahead.”

“The group has come together really well over the past two weeks and the
support since arriving in Brisbane has been enormous. We are expecting a very
loud and passionate crowd at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night to bring us home.”

At 140kg, Skelton is one of the powerhouse forwards in Australian Rugby, yet
displays incredible stamina to often play the entire 80 minutes in Super Rugby.

He has enjoyed a meteoric rise since making his Super Rugby debut in 2013 and
was an integral part of the Waratahs team which won their maiden Super Rugby
title in 2014.

He also enjoyed one of the most hyped Test debuts since Israel Folau and lived
up the billing with a stellar performance in Australia’s 39-13 victory
over France in the third Test in Sydney last year.

In that game, Skelton scored the game’s opening try and also setup his
Waratahs teammate Israel Folau in a devastating 56-minute performance.

Will Skelton
Position: Lock
Height: 2.03m
Weight: 140kg
DOB: 03/05/1992
Super Rugby Team: NSW Waratahs
Super Rugby Caps: 39
Super Rugby Debut: 2013 v Stormers
Test Caps: 8
Test Debut: 2014 v France, Sydney