Top 14 – “My heart settled here […] “And there’s still so much more to do”: Will Skelton proclaims his love and ambitions for La Rochelle before challenging Racing

Racing took 50 points against UBB, without playing badly. We imagine that this team will be wound up, against you, right?

Racing is a great team. So we expect them to show their best face this weekend in Créteil. That’s the challenge we’re looking for too.

In the second row, you could challenge Will Rowlands, Romain Taofifenua… Does that mean a big battle?

It’s a huge challenge. They are two world-class players. Racing also has Boris Palu and Junior Kpoku. I played against his brothers. It will be a big fight up front but also behind with players like Tuisova, Owen Farrell…

Have you sent a message to Farrell, your former Saracens team-mate?

It was his birthday recently. I asked him to send me the game plan (laughs).

You are personally going to play a fourth match (third start, against Racing). How do you feel, physically?

Good, very good. We’ve been working really hard physically all pre-season to be ready for these first games. All of us. “ROG” (Ronan O’Gara, manager, editor’s note) has rotated the team a lot so the guys are feeling fresh.

What can you improve in your game at 32?

Repetition of efforts, I would say. “ROG” always asks me, in every match, to take the ball as many times as possible, to carry it for the team. I have to be better under fatigue. Not just do one or two good things and rest for twenty minutes, I have to try to be more consistent and active in the same match.

And collectively, against Racing, after three days of the championship?

You have to win away. We lost in Toulouse. We were very focused on winning an away game and it didn’t happen… We have to start the game from the kick-off, be very physical from the first twenty minutes. Mentally strong, too. Racing conceded 50 against Bordeaux and it will be a big game for both sides, so it’s up to us to keep the pressure on for eighty minutes. And put in a good performance.

Is it good news for La Rochelle not to play this match at the Arena, where the club has never won?

For me, yes (laughs). I like the Arena but it’s a bit fast for me. It’s a big stadium but, as a foreigner, I love playing in new places. So playing in Créteil is a good opportunity for us. We have several successes in relocation against Racing.

What is your assessment of the start of the La Rochelle season?

After three days, we are in a good place. We are disappointed with our defeat in Toulouse. But the team is very competitive in training. We want players who raise their hand to play at the weekend, to make the choice of coaches difficult. That is the case. It is a very good start to the season. The top 6? It is good to be there but we will see if we are still there at the halfway point of the season.

Are you satisfied with the evolution of the La Rochelle game at the start of the season? The team is showing its appetite for playing football…

Yeah! But not much has changed, actually. We’re a very powerful team on the bases, we like the groupings, we like that ruck battle so we don’t stray too far from that. But it’s nice to have our backs like that, like Dillyn Leyds scoring three tries (against Pau). Our wingers are scoring great tries, they come to congratulate us for the work done up front (smile). For me, the game plan doesn’t change too much, it’s just about being more consistent with that each week.

Why did you decide, during the summer, to extend your contract until 2028 at Stade Rochelais?

I am very happy to be here. I am excited by the goals of this team, the vision of the coaches, the project we are carrying. We definitely have the team to do special things. My family is very happy here. My son was born here, my wife loves our village on the outskirts of La Rochelle. We really appreciate the people here, we really wanted to stay here and I hope we will have more success in the next three or four years.

Were there other options on the table?

A few. Like coming home, going back to play in Australia. But my heart has settled and remains here, in favour of the project and the team that we are building here. There is a spirit of “brotherhood” that I love playing for. I love playing for this club. And there is still so much more to do, within us, as if we do not even touch 50 or 60% of what we are capable of achieving, and the potential of the team.

You will soon become a centurion of La Rochelle (Will Skelton will play against Racing in his 94^e match in yellow and black). A special moment in perspective?

I’ve never played a hundred games for any club. I’ve done over 50 for the Warathas and Saracens. I’ve made a lot of memories here. So it’s something special, to be a centurion, yes. I’m looking for it. There’s still a few games to go. We’ll take it one by one. I love putting this jersey on.

There’s a lot of discussion in Australia about the system of selecting players playing overseas. Do you understand that, having captained the Wallabies at the 2023 World Cup?

Yes. I pay attention to it, all the time. I watch the games like you and it’s hard when you can’t help. I’m eligible for selection today, but it was a choice (his non-presence in the Rugby Championship, Editor’s note). I’ve had open conversations with Joe Schmidt (Wallabies coach), I hope it will evolve, we’ll see for the next tours. That’s just how it is now, Super Rugby is a competition that has evolved, which is different from a few years ago. We lose a lot of players, to overseas, so it’s up to the decision-makers in Australian rugby to see what they’re going to do with the selection policy. We see what the Springboks are doing and it’s working out quite well for them. But it’s also a different game. They can play in the URC (United Rugby Championship), a very competitive championship. The Australians just play against New Zealand, Fiji and the Pacific teams. I don’t know what the future rules will be. For me, this is how I work: if you play well at the club then you can and you will be selected.