Will Skelton's dramatic weight loss was a major talking point today
Will Skelton’s size has been both a blessing and curse for the giant Australian secondrow.
It was Skelton’s size that first caught the Australian media’s eye back in 2010. The then 6’8, 135kg 18-year-old schoolboy was pictured in the Courier Mail towering above then Wallaby No.8, 6’4, 122kg Wycliff Palu. According to the report, he had to import size 17 boots from the United States.
He now wears size 19.
After entering the Waratahs academy in 2011, Michael Cheika, the then head coach of the franchise, signed him to the Super Rugby side’s extended player squad ahead of the 2013 campaign. The lock – of Samoan heritage – made his senior debut later that year against the Stormers and before facing the British and Irish Lions.
By the time he rose through the Waratahs ranks to a place in the first team (and tipping the scales at over 140kg) it had become a task beyond most commentators to mention the Auckland born lock without reference to his enormous proportions.
Like many a big man, questions around his fitness levels began to be asked. Despite making 18 appearances for the Wallabies between 2014 and 2016, persistent criticism of both his form and fitness levels saw him dropped from the national team by Cheika.
He headed North. After a short-term deal with Saracens, he signed a two years contract in 2017 and but once again his weight is the topic of conversation.
A slimmed down Skelton 2.0 was on display at Kingston Park in Saracens opening match of the season.
According to Nick Mullins, Skelton has dropped 12kg over the summer, bringing to 21 the total numbers of kilos lost by the lock since his arrival at the London club.
Skelton at his heaviest was somewhere in the mid 140kgs, so that puts him approximately between 120kg and 130kg presently.
And his weight cut appears to be paying dividends. Indeed his remarkable workrate with ball-in-hand and at the breakdown had commentators’ tongue wagging and he duly picked up the man of the match award against the Falcons.
In an post-match interview with BT, forwards coach Alex Sanderson even commented that Skelton’s torso was noticeably different, with his pectoral muscles now distinct from his tummy and not ‘one big mass’.
Mark McCall once described him as the ‘biggest human’ he had ever seen and frighteningly, he’s the smallest of three brothers. Brothers Cameron and Logan are both taller and heavier than him, with Logan said to be pushing 7 feet.
The conversation around Skelton may always be about his size, but at least now it appears to a be positive one.
Comments on RugbyPass
Foxy has been a wonderful player for the Scarlets and Wales.
1 Go to commentsNika the Georgian is the best referee in the world at the moment. Luckily we will be spared the shite SH refs and Barnes will hopefully remain retired given how shite and embarrassing he was at the RWC.
2 Go to commentsThis is the most exciting game of the summer imo, as we really won’t know in advance how both teams are going to play. - Will Robertson just reproduce his Crusaders tactics from last year, or will there be a conscious effort to borrow from the Hurricanes and Blues, and from the aspects of the ABs world cup strategy that worked well? - England under Borthwick have put in some good performances playing attacking rugby, and some good performances playing kick-oriented defensive rugby. Will Borthwick try to merge them together into a single all-court game, or will he continue switching between different approaches depending on the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition?
1 Go to commentsI’m predicting an aggregate points difference of no more than +/-10pts across both matches this series.
1 Go to commentsI’m predicting an aggregate points difference of no more than +/-10pts across both matches this series.
9 Go to commentsFinals are always tense affairs for the players so I do not expect this to be a spectacle of running rugby unfortunately.
2 Go to commentsBulls***': Ex-England international calls out Eben Etzebeth… Not to his face but from very far away… after he’d left. Checked to make sure he wasn’t in the building.
90 Go to commentsHopefully this will mean a new Auckland league team to support in the west. Big Warriors fan but it’s very, very stale on that front and I’d like the option of another team if it was to watch league again. League needs to step up BIG time if its to get anywhere, another AK team and something from the capitol or south is a must for the game.
3 Go to commentsGood, deep interview, nice job Frankie!
1 Go to commentsNRL players don’t have anywhere near the number of Tests. Some people would be happy having Rest Homes full if 40 yo ex-players walking, or hobbling more like it, into walls. It’s just a game!
4 Go to commentsNOW Razor is worried about ABs getting injured or overplayed! Didn’t bother him last year. He happily played his AB Crusaders.
4 Go to commentsWhat is the World Rugby U20 players born year.
2 Go to commentsMuch like the Chiefs finally gave up waiting for Atu Moli to ever not be injured, you have to wonder if the Chiefs and Crusaders will let Josh Lord and Ethan Blackadder go next season. They’re being well paid to sit in the injury ward every year. Better off putting those funds towards someone who might actually play.
7 Go to commentsShowed better basic skills than some nz Super sides, who probably would have botched some of those backline moves. This tournament really is too short though. Needs more teams, or have them play two rounds to properly prepare them for the near full-time NH U20 sides.
4 Go to commentsGood grief it’s only six months. Probably just upset it’s not an established kiwi entering their prime they can “project” into green to join the rest.
2 Go to commentsGood player but far from being best in the world. That's an exaggeration. Perhaps Best in world by Northern Hemisphere standards and biasis but certainly not Southern Hemi standards
3 Go to commentsWell one thing about World Cup knock out rounds and Ireland is very clear: they won’t be getting ahead of themselves in ‘27! Because making it beyond the QF is well and truly ‘IN THEIR HEADS’ now…😉
90 Go to commentsHas this guy been dope tested? Sounds like a case of “roid rage”.
1 Go to commentsI would like to see him say that to Eben face to face in a dark alley.
90 Go to commentsYep, lost in translation. There are arrogant people in Ireland, yes. As there are arrogant people in every country, but as a nation, arrogance is not a general characteristic in Ireland. There has not really had a strong representation for any global sport over the years, and hence arrogance is not endemic to Irish people in this regard. I seriously doubt that was said or meant by 12 or 13 players. If it was said, it would have been said in jest and to pay Etzebeth and the Springboks a compliment for how hard fought the game was.
90 Go to comments