Will Skelton is facing a race against time to be fit for the 2026 Test season, with fears the towering lock has suffered a season-ending injury while on club duty.
The 33-year-old lasted just 30 minutes in La Rochelle’s 26-15 Top 14 defeat to Bayonne on Saturday before being forced off with a suspected ruptured Achilles, struggling to leave the field.
It comes just a week after Skelton returned from a two-month layoff with a calf injury, making the latest setback even more cruel. While the full extent of the injury is yet to be confirmed, the early signs are ominous.
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“There’s a suspected Achilles tendon rupture,” La Rochelle assistant coach Rémi Talès said.
“It’s tough for a player like him, given the effort he’s put in to come back after his calf injury.
“We’re all thinking of him and hope he recovers quickly, because we need him.”
Talès admitted Skelton’s absence had an immediate impact, particularly at the set-piece.
“We were playing well,” he said. “When you see (Levani) Botia (who suffered a calf injury) and Skelton go off, even if you’re down to fourteen men, you gain a psychological advantage.
“We paid dearly for Will’s absence in the mauls, as we conceded two tries in the second half. We lacked experience.”
If confirmed, the injury would likely rule Skelton out for the remainder of the club season – including La Rochelle’s Top 14 and EPCR Challenge Cup commitments – and place serious doubt over his involvement in the Wallabies’ 2026 campaign.
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Australia are set for a packed international schedule, including Tests against Ireland, France, Italy, Japan, Argentina, the Springboks and the All Blacks.
Losing Skelton for that stretch would be a significant blow to Joe Schmidt’s plans.
Photo: Paul Childs/Action Images via Reuters
The post Wallabies dealt brutal Skelton blow appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Will Skelton is facing a race against time to be fit for the 2026 Test season, with fears the towering lock has suffered a season-ending injury while on club duty.
The post Wallabies dealt brutal Skelton blow appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
