Rugby: Rugby-Skelton still finding his feet as surprise Wallabies captain

MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Leading the Wallabies into a Rugby World Cup was the last thing on Will Skelton’s mind before Eddie Jones tapped the lock on the shoulder to offer him the job.

Even by Jones’s unpredictable standards, it was one of the coach’s most left-field decisions in a squad brimming with surprises.

Six days on from being unveiled as skipper, Skelton understandably is still getting his head around a role that for much of the past year was shared between long-serving captain Michael Hooper and prop James Slipper.

“I’ve leaned on the other boys a lot,” Skelton told reporters in Sydney.

“Slips (Slipper), Whitey (Nic White), Andrew Kellaway. They’ve helped me through this week.

“I’m still a bit awkward when I’m in the huddle. The boys are looking at me for that last say – something I’m not used to.

“But I really want to grow in this role and make it mine.”

France-based Skelton may struggle for the right words but has tended to let his rugby do the talking.

The soft-spoken 31-year-old has been one of the linchpins of La Rochelle’s back-to-back European Champions Cup titles.

A decision to head to Europe six years ago has meant sacrificing plenty of international rugby due to Australia’s policy of preferring home-based players.

But his selection as skipper aligns completely with Jones’s desire for a break from the past.

The old guard of Hooper and flyhalf Quade Cooper have made way for Skelton and rookie number 10 Carter Gordon, players unburdened by years of disappointment in the Wallabies’ jersey.

Skelton is yet to work out how the mechanics of on-field leadership will work but suggested he would consult team mates including his young vice-captain, scrumhalf Tate McDermott.

“I’m not going to have all the answers as well,” he said.

“We’ll be leaning on each other and we’ll be growing together and those decisions will be a team thing.”

The Wallabies head to France winless in four matches under Jones but having shown big improvement in their last test against the All Blacks.

Australia were on the verge of a first win against the hosts in New Zealand since 2001 before being overhauled 23-20 in Dunedin.

The Wallabies will have another measure of their progress in a warm-up test against France in Paris on Aug. 27 before starting their World Cup against Georgia on Sept. 9.

In terms of building a culture for the team, Skelton signalled it would be a light-hearted one, saying he was happy for a bit of banter with his players and to share a joke.

But he made a point of asking team mates about their families and their lives away from the pitch to build stronger bonds.

“I know if you’re better connected off the field, you always perform better on the field,” he said.

“That’s just who I am and a lot of those guys on our team are like that.”

(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford)