Wallabies lock Will Skelton may play on through the Rugby Championship, the second-rower confirming his interest to delay his return to France as Australia basked in the glory of their incredible 38-22 comeback win over the Springboks.
Skelton fronted Australian media via video alongside James O’Connor on Sunday evening [AEST], the veteran duo savoring what was not only one of the greatest victories in their Test careers, but also one of the Wallabies’ best of all time.
But the Wallabies will not be overdoing the celebrations, with an embarrassed Springboks side, one that will regain several first-choice players, set to arrive in Cape Town intent on making up for their insipid capitulation at a venue where they had not been beaten by Australia since 1963.
“I think first it was just about enjoying the moment, cause it’s been 62 years since we’ve won at Ellis Park,” O’Connor told reporters. “So that’s a special thing as a group to get after and to be a part of, especially with that comeback, but I think it was that we enjoyed each other’s company; but that’s the thing about rugby, you’re sort of already onto next week.
“Well I know my mind went there and I thought straight away ‘what are they going to be coming with? 6-2 bench? Back to basics, bomb squad, aerial contest’. They’re going to meet us in the trenches there. So I’m already thinking about what’s coming and then just focusing on recovery, but we did enjoy each other’s company a little bit.”
Skelton said the Wallabies had already begun to pick apart their win to identify where they would need to be better next weekend.
“A lot of the boys are already onto next week. The boys are reviewing, everyone’s clipping stuff,” Skelton said.
“We know what’s going to come. They’re going to try and punch you in the face this week. So we’re going to have to have a good week of preparation again, and really fight until the end.”
Skelton played 57 minutes in what was his third straight Test for the Wallabies, the 33-year-old doing the hard work in tight before Australia’s outside backs exploded into life, with Max Jorgensen and Tom Wright particularly brilliant.
After starting the campaign with a calf injury, which kept him out of the one-off Test with Fiji and the first Test with the British and Irish Lions, Skelton has added a physical edge the Wallabies have long needed and proven his class as a truly world-class second-rower.
And crucially, it appears as though he may play on beyond this week’s second Test with the Springboks.
“Yeah, I’ll be on the flight home,’ Skelton said when asked about his immediate playing future. “Yeah, definitely. We’re having ongoing conversations on what the rest of the TRC [Rugby Championship] looks like. But yeah, we’ll have a think this week and have a chat with the brains trust and see where we can get to.”
The sight of Skelton celebrating wildly on the sidelines as Wright rounded out Australia’s run of 38 unanswered points shows just how much he is enjoying his time under Schmidt, and why he may be prepared to forgo part of his huge La Rochelle contract to remain with the Wallabies for Tests against Argentina.
But it will be a delicate balancing act, too, with the Wallabies mindful of not abusing what is currently a good working relationship with the French club and its coach Ronan O’Gara.
Meanwhile, Australia have some injury issues to confront ahead of Saturday’s Test in Cape Town, with winger Dylan Pietsch and veteran prop James Slipper already on their way home.
Slipper suffered a concussion in the win in Johannesburg while Pietsch, who has had a terrible run with injury, injured his jaw in a tackle on Springboks captain Siya Kolisi.
Uncapped Brumbies prop Rhys van Nek and Reds flyer Filipo Daugunu are on route to South Africa as their replacements, while Western Force midfielder Hamish Stewart had already been called up as cover for Ben Donaldson.
Fortunately, Wallabies skipper Harry Wilson does not appear to have suffered a serious knee injury despite the No. 8 pulling up lame after scoring the second of his two tries at Ellis Park.
Wilson immediately collapsed to the ground after he touched down following a break from Wright, and was later spotted on crutches after fulltime, only for a Wallabies spokesperson to confirm that he was later moving around the team hotel unassisted.
If Wilson does sit out the Cape Town clash, Brumbies star Rob Valetini looms as a readymade replacement after working his way back from a calf injury.
