Wallabies star Will Skelton has revealed the huge sacrifice his wife Kate has made as he chases his sporting dreams.
Skelton, 33, is the man the British and Irish Lions fear ahead of the second Test at the MCG on Saturday night, but the man mountain knows he wouldn’t be where he is without the support of his better half.
‘(I can’t thank her enough)…they (wives) stop their (own) careers and they jump on your back,’ he told Code Sports.
‘It’s such a special honour to play for Australia, but you’ve got to recognise that our girls are the ones who are putting us there…without them the whole place would burn down.’
Kate Skelton was working in aged care – but gave up her own career to support her husband’s rugby endeavours abroad.
The couple – who are based in France where Skelton plays for Top 14 side La Rochelle – have two boys, four-year-old Julius and seven-month-old Jude.
Such is Skelton’s x-factor, he has been parachuted into the Wallabies starting line-up against the Lions.
A veteran of 32 Tests, Skelton will look to provide some much-needed aggression.
Wallabies star Will Skelton has revealed the huge sacrifice his wife Kate has made as he chases his sporting dreams
Kate Skelton was working in aged care – but gave up her own career to support her husband’s rugby endeavours (the couple are pictured, with their two boys)
He is imposing, standing at 203cm and weighing 135kg.
Skelton also wears custom-made size 19 boots.
The former Wallabies captain has returned following a calf injury – and Lions great Ronan O’Gara, who is Skelton’s club coach at La Rochelle, knows he can change the game.
‘He is an absolute freak and I’m very one-eyed obviously because I see everything good about him,’ he told The Aftermatch podcast.
‘He does change a team, he does change an environment, he is so good, but he’s coming back from a period of time out (injured).
‘Usually it takes a game or two to find your feet, but Will has the ability to hit the ground running. They (Wallabies) need him.’
Big things were expected of Skelton after he helped the NSW Waratahs their first Super Rugby title in 2014.
Next was a move to Europe three years later – and since then, he has won trophies for fun at Saracens and more recently, La Rochelle.
Will Skelton moved to Europe in 2017 and since then, has won endless trophies for Saracens and La Rochelle (pictured, with wife Kate)
Will Skelton (left) and Rob Valetini will offer some grunt in the second Test against the British and Irish Lions
He is also a four time European champion.
A crowd of almost 100,000 is anticipated at the MCG, with kick-off 8pm AEDT.
Wallabies (15-1): Tom Wright, Max Jorgensen, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Len Ikitau, Harry Potter, Tom Lynagh, Jake Gordon, Harry Wilson (c), Fraser McReight, Rob Valetini, Nick Frost, Allan Alaalatoa, David Porecki, James Slipper
Reserves: Billy Pollard, Angus Bell, Tom Robertson, Jeremy Wiliams, Langi Gleeson, Carlo Tizzano, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson
Lions (15-1): Hugo Keenan, Tommy Freeman, Huw Jones, Bundee Aki, James Lowe, Finn Russell, Jamison Gibson-Park, Jack Conan, Tom Curry, Tadhg Beirne, Ollie Chessum, Maro Itoje (c), Tadhg Furlong, Dan Sheehan, Andrew Porter
Reserves: Ronan Kelleher, Ellis Genge, Will Stuart, James Ryan, Jac Morgan, Alex Mitchell, Owen Farrell, Blair Kinghorn
