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'First time I got hungover, Schalk Burger fed me pints all night'

(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Barbarians lock Will Skelton has recounted the first time that he wound up hungover following a night out with Saracens that ended with him retching over the toilet bowl. The Wallabies lock is back in London this week as part of Fabien Gathie’s squad to play England this Sunday at Twickenham. 

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The now La Rochelle-based Skelton was recently crowned a Heineken Champions Cup winner, the second time that he won the trophy as a starting player in the final as he played in the 2019 decider with Saracens, the Gallager Premiership club he initially joined on loan in winter 2016.

Skelton began that original stint in London with a pair of Champions Cup games versus Sale which was followed by the squad getting whisked abroad for one of their infamous bonding sessions, a memory that the Australian has now humorously recalled during a guest appearance on this week’s RugbyPass Offload

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Will Skelton on Champions Cup celebrations and playing for the Barbarians | RugbyPass Offload | Episode 38

The big rig Will Skelton joins us from Monaco this week where he’s on tour with the Barbarians and rooming with George Kruis. He fills us in on the tour so far, hanging out at the palace with the Prince and who’s leading the charge off the pitch. We also hear about his man-of-the-match performance for La Rochelle in the Champions Cup Final, that famous open-top bus celebration and what it’s like playing for coaches like O’Gara and Cheika.

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Will Skelton on Champions Cup celebrations and playing for the Barbarians | RugbyPass Offload | Episode 38

The big rig Will Skelton joins us from Monaco this week where he’s on tour with the Barbarians and rooming with George Kruis. He fills us in on the tour so far, hanging out at the palace with the Prince and who’s leading the charge off the pitch. We also hear about his man-of-the-match performance for La Rochelle in the Champions Cup Final, that famous open-top bus celebration and what it’s like playing for coaches like O’Gara and Cheika.

“I came on loan for eight weeks, we played Sale at home, then Sale away and they were like, ‘Oh yeah, we have got a trip’. I thinking, ‘What do you mean a trip, a training camp or something?’ They’re like, ‘No’. 

“I’m not sure do I pack my boots and then literally you’re 4am, on the bus to Gatwick. I wasn’t a big drinker. I think literally that was the first time I got hung over with the boys in my life, so it was a new experience. Thanks, Schalk Burger for feeding me pints all night. He can drink, mate. Oh my god, he can drink. It was a great trip. It was awesome. 

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“Peer pressure got me there. Like I said, I didn’t drink so I didn’t eat and that first morning after the first night I’m there just over the toilet, spilling my guts. I had nothing coming out, just bile. It was burning my throat. I didn’t drink after that… until the next trip.”

After seven loan appearances, Skelton returned to Saracens on a full-time basis after finishing the 2017 Super Rugby season with the Waratahs and he went on to enjoy further bonding trips away with Mark McCall’s squad, who this Saturday will play in their latest Premiership final when they take on Leicester.  

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Skelton believes these off-field bonding sessions were crucial to the building team culture when he was at Saracens. “Very important and it gave something to look forward to off the field. I remember we were always told about a month, six weeks out before the trip.

“They’d say where we were going and do a slideshow of what was to come. That revved the boys up. So we’d have a block of games and you’re thinking we have to get through Northampton, Newcastle away and then we are off, we’re Ibiza or wherever. It was always a special time.”

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Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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