Skelton the Aussie cup-winning wrecking ball shows just why England should be VERY afraid

ROMAIN SAZY — as a means of lauding his fellow La Rochelle heroes — said: ‘ i play with monsters.’ none of those are bigger and scarier than Sazy’s second-row partner, Will Skelton.

England and Wales be warned: the giant Wallaby could be an almighty force to be reckoned with at the World Cup. on Saturday, the 31-year-old claimed his fourth Champions Cup-winner’s medal in the space of six years. The first two came with Saracens, where his game and physique were so expertly honed, before three final appearances and two titles with La Rochelle.

What an impact Skelton is having on the club game in Europe — and what an impact he could have at Test level this autumn. after being sacked as head coach of England, Eddie Jones agreed to a second stint with his native australia in the belief that they have the firepower to win the World Cup this year. He will know that Skelton is the force of nature they need.

Events in Dublin proved that no matter how the sport evolves, extreme physicality remains a staple requirement. in the likes of Skelton and Uini atonio, La Rochelle have more heavyweight clout in the scrum, the maul and on the gainline than any other team on the planet. at 6ft 8in tall and weighing 22 stone, Skelton (right) can dominate all-comers. Even large rival forwards are treated with disdain as he climbs through tackles with his huge, powerful stride.

During the first half on Saturday, Leinster just about kept a lid on him, but by the end he was wreaking havoc. it is quite some bonus that he possesses a knack for deft offloads to go with his size and combative streak.

Warren Gatland and Steve Borthwick will be on a state of high alert. Wales have to play australia in a pool fixture in Lyon, while England could find themselves in the path of Jones’s side in the quarter-finals in marseille. Don’t bet against the script delivering an encounter between the new Red Rose regime and the man who led the last one for seven years before his exit.

in that event, Skelton poses a grave threat to English hopes. Jones will know that in Skelton, prop Taniela Tupou and centre Samu Kerevi, he has three X-factor monsters who could help the Wallabies to reverse recent history by inflicting a ‘Bodyline’ onslaught on England, and all the leading nations they face.

if the formidable fulcrum of the La Rochelle pack is successfully reintegrated, the whole balance of World Cup power could profoundly shift.