By Ian Ransom
MELBOURNE, July 28 (Reuters) - New South Wales Waratahs
coach Michael Cheika's prediction that man mountain Will Skelton
could be a match-winner from the bench may have looked like a
sop to a player denied a spot in his starting side for their
biggest match of the season.
Instead, it proved deadly accurate as the 22-year-old lock's
majestic line-break against the ACT Brumbies set up his team's
winning try and gives them a chance to seal a maiden Super Rugby
title against the Canterbury Crusaders on Saturday.
Auckland-born Skelton grew up watching the Crusaders humble
a procession of would-be contenders in the southern hemisphere
competition but is likely to be a focus of their attention ahead
of the blockbuster final at Sydney's Olympic Stadium.
Video footage of the lock shrugging off three Brumbies
tacklers on a thundering run through midfield would be unnerving
enough for Crusaders staff. His sublime offload to eventual
try-scorer Bernard Foley would give them more cause for concern.
"We were under a lot of pressure," Skelton told reporters in
Sydney of the play, which sent a crowd of 38,000 into delirium.
"That try sealed the match. Boys working hard off the ball.
"I was surprised. You don't usually make breaks. The
forwards try to work hard and just get through contact. I'll
have a look at the highlights and see how it really went."
For all of his presence, Skelton slipped through New
Zealand's fingers and quickly became a cult hero "across the
ditch", where his power, soft hands and deft timing have already
been earned him a Wallabies debut against France.
BAG OF TRICKS
The son of Samoa-born parents, Skelton is likely to
reacquaint himself with a number of Crusaders players when
Australia open the four-nation Rugby Championship against world
champions New Zealand.
Though backed to battle former Australia skipper James
Horwill and Brumbies lock Sam Carter for a starting role in the
Wallabies, Skelton has been used as an impact player off the
bench for the Waratahs with departing international Kane Douglas
and South African enforcer Jacques Potgieter setting the tone.
At 137kg and 6-ft-8in (2.03 metres), Skelton might seem an
unlikely pinch hitter from the pine, but the player's heft and
rugby smarts may be vital against the Crusaders, famous for
finding another gear in the later stages of games.
"You bring a guy like Will on and he can pull something like
that (line-break) out of his bag of tricks," Cheika told
reporters.
"It symbolised the fact that we are not worried about the
consequences. 'I'll take responsibility. I'll make that pass and
I believe it will work out.'"
In a side not lacking in firepower, with players of the
calibre of fullback Israel Folau and inside centre Kurtley
Beale, Skelton offers an additional defensive headache for Todd
Blackadder's Crusaders as they bid to seal an eighth title and
end a six-year drought since their last.
A cousin of former All Blacks lock Brad Mika, Skelton turned
down an approach from his hometown Auckland Blues before
committing to the Waratahs.
But while New Zealand rugby have missed out on one Skelton,
they have swooped for another.
Cameron, who stands two centimetres taller than his older
brother and weighs 145kg, represented Samoa at the junior World
Cup last month.
He will join the Waikato Chiefs' development programme as
part of "efforts aimed at enticing players back to New Zealand",
the two-time Super Rugby champions said in a statement on
Monday.
(Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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