Skelton’s much-needed return for Wallabies in doubt after injury in club game

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For the second time this year, the Wallabies desperately need Will Skelton to be a one-man cavalry unit and provide physicality after Australia’s humbling loss to Italy.

However, it appears the blows may keep coming for the Wallabies, with Skelton’s availability for Sunday’s clash with Ireland in serious doubt due to an ankle injury suffered playing for La Rochelle.

Despite being available for Australia under regulation 9, Skelton missed the Wallabies’ loss to Italy and instead turned out for his French club side in a make-up game against Toulon.

But Skelton left the field after an hour with an ankle complaint, which could potentially leave him unable to play for the Wallabies – as planned – against Ireland and France in the next two weeks.

“This week Will played for the club while his country played in Italy,” La Rochelle coach Ronan O’Gara said post-game. “He always wants to play in the big games, and he felt that this match against Toulon was one of them. For Australia, I hope he won’t miss next week.”

Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt, who also confirmed Len Ikitau will be available in Dublin, will be praying for positive medical news on Skelton, given his track record of dramatically boosting the Wallabies’ performance.

Will Skelton’s return for the Wallabies in Dublin is desperately needed.

Skelton missed Australia’s first Test loss to the British and Irish Lions due to injury in July, but inspired his teammates to new levels on his return in the second Test with an immense physical performance.

Skelton’s range of skills will be badly needed against an Ireland team with a point to prove after its recent loss to New Zealand in Chicago.

Schmidt will primarily be counting on Skelton’s strength to secure the Wallabies’ attacking rucks, with possession lost far too often against Italy in Udine. The Wallabies also struggled to puncture the stubborn Italy defence, with breakaway Tom Hooper topping the forwards’ metres carried with just 30 in Udine.

Against England the week before, fellow back-rower Rob Valetini was the top ball carrier from the pack with 20 metres, highlighting a broader problem for the Wallabies recently.

Will Skelton’s physicality was vital against the British and Irish Lions.

If fit, Skelton’s to-do list in Dublin will be to try to build morale in the Wallabies camp ahead of two of the most challenging weeks in Test rugby.

Fraser McReight was one of the few Wallabies to hold his own against Italy. He produced three crucial turnovers, and the breakaway did not believe fatigue could be used as an excuse for the surprise defeat.

“I think it’s nonsense,” he said. “Some of the boys came in for this game, like Carter [Gordon], who I thought was really good tonight.

“We had some good spark off the bench with Bobby [Valetini] and Pete [Samu]. I think the two areas that we really let ourselves down were discipline and around the ruck.”

Captain Harry Wilson speaks to his team after defeat in Italy.

Asked what has wrong with the Wallabies’ discipline – they have conceded 13 penalties in each game against Italy and England in consecutive weeks – McReight struggled to find an answer.

“That’s a great question. I’m trying to get my head around it too, to be honest. I don’t know,” he said.

McReight played in the 2022 loss to Italy in Florence and spoke of the hurt the Wallabies were feeling three years on after another loss against Italy.

“Not much has been said in the sheds at the moment; it’s quite painful and sombre,” McReight said.

“But on the field, the leaders spoke about sucking it in, taking in the hurt, that feeling, just letting it sink in and using that. And then just sticking tight. We’ve got such a tight group – that’s probably been around this group for a while.

“I know the boys are going to hurt, but we’re going to review and we’re going to dig deep for each other, for our families, for the country and rip into training next week. That’s all we can do. We’ve got a big test against Ireland, it’s going to hurt for 24 hours, and then it’s gone. ”

In the post-match press conference, Schmidt confirmed star centre Ikitau was available and ready to play against Ireland next week.

“I thought Hunter Paisami played well; he was physical, he’s a punchy player for us,” Schmidt said.

“He’s got a good skill set, and he got penalised once for a tackle being late that he’d committed to, so he’ll be disappointed with that.

“But apart from that, I felt he played well. Lenny [Ikitau], he’s fit and available next week, and he’s had a week back with us, so he’s a guy who adds leadership as much as anything. He’s in our leadership team and has had a super season for us so far.”