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CRAIG Macleod remembers coaching Will Skelton in junior footy.
Even as a teenager Skelton was, you guessed it, a massive human.
"He would carry the footy and there'd always be about four or five guys hanging off him to put him down," Macleod recalls.
"The crowd came to their feet every time he got the ball and a lot of those guys, the defenders, are now playing first grade at different clubs so he wasn't playing against mugs."
It's worth noting at this point that Macleod could, in time, turn out to be a pivotal figure in Australian rugby.
Macleod was Skelton's coach in junior rugby league, not rugby, and those future first-graders are current NRL players.
But sensing the destiny of the 2.03m, 140kg lay in a rival code, Macleod not only encouraged his giant player to pursue rugby union, he literally drove Skelton to the game's doorstep.
Two years later Skelton became a Waratah, and today, four years on, the 140kg lock will make his Wallabies debut against France.
"Will was always a tremendous talent," Macleod said. "It's a great story. We're all very proud."
Now a cult hero at Allianz Stadium, Skelton's rampaging style is hoped to help the Wallabies clean sweep the French in today's third Test.
But were it not for Macleod's intervention — and a photo shoot with the Daily Telegraph — in 2010, Skelton may well have been hauling defenders for a rugby league team instead, perhaps even in the NRL.
Skelton grew up playing league and at the age of 17 was in the S.G Ball team for Wests, with the likes of now-Tigers stars James Tedesco, David Nofoaluma and Sauaso Sue.
"He was bloody massive," Tedesco said yesterday. "Hard to put down, for sure."
Skelton juggled league with union, however, and was also playing rugby for Hills Sports High.
The school rugby team was picked to represent Australia in a world schools tournament in Japan in 2010, and with Skelton one of several massive players, the 923kg forward pack posed for a photo with the Waratahs forwards. The 893kg NSW pack was dwarfed.
"I remember walking away from that thinking "holy heck, that's the future of rugby"," NSW prop Benn Robinson said yesterday.
Skelton posed in an individual picture alongside Wycliff Palu, and after reading the Tele's story, Macleod called his 2.03m S.G Ball second rower in for a meeting.
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"We sat down and talked about things," Macleod said.
"He was umming and aahing. I said you have lots of ability but you are juggling both, and I think you'd have a big future in rugby union. With your size and ability, union is going to suit your talents and you could seriously go places.
"We talked about Wycliff Palu, who played lower grades at St George. I used the analogy with Will, saying you have the same potential as him to kick on. But it's not going to happen in two minutes, so you need to go somewhere to learn. Go and learn off the best."
Macleod got a number for Sydney Uni colts coach Jack Farrer, rang and talked about this huge kid called Skelton.
"He knew about him," he continues. "So we drove up there and looked around the facilities.
"I told Will to sit down with your mum and Dad and have a good think about it. He chose that path, and the rest is history."
Skelton says Macleod's influence at the time "definitely" crystallise his muddled thoughts.
"It definitely gave me that push to pursue rugby," the Wallaby newcomer said this week.
"I wasn't 100 percent on either. I was on the fence. I thought I could go on and play with the Magpies, or maybe go to West Harbour, actually. My best mate was playing for them.
"But I wanted to learn the fundamentals and excel, and so we went up to Sydney Uni. They embraced me."
With hard-to-miss dimensions, Skelton's rise in the rugby ranks was rapid. He played colts for Sydney Uni, but after missing Australian under 20 selection, played for Samoa in the Junior World Championships.
Skelton as a junior alongside Wycliff Palu. Source: News Limited
(Skelton's little brother Cameron – who is actually bigger and also under contract with NSW – recently did the same).
A foot injury for most of 2012 delayed progress, but after trimming down puppy fat with a part-time job on a removallists truck, Skelton returned to action at the ARU National Academy.
In late 2012, the youngsters trained against the Waratahs.
"We had an opposed session and it was one of the Tahs' first proper contact sessions," Skelton recalls.
"But we'd be doing a lot of hard work prior to that, and our boys sort of finished on top. A few of us got picked to go train with NSW, and I was one of them."
Skelton never went back to the academy. NSW coach Michael Cheika spotted a live on and backed the 20-year-old, playing him in trials and though still very raw, then threw his x-factor potential into action for the Waratahs five months later.
The world stood up and noticed a few games later when Skelton, undaunted, played the house down against the British and Irish Lions.
"You have to give Michael Cheika and the Waratahs credit," Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie said this week.
"They spotted him and put him in there; he probably wasn't set up to play at that level straight away but they persisted, and he made all the physical development and he obviously had the right attitude."
And at the Waratahs together. Source: News Limited
Bright and eager to learn, the commerce student has impressed Wallaby coaching staff in camp in recent weeks.
McKenzie said it was the skills, and not just size, of the big lock that secured Test selection.
Macleod clocked all of that years ago.
"I remember all the catch-pass drills we used to do … he was a bit of a natural in that stuff, which was amazing given his size," he said. "Will had a great work ethic, and was always like a sponge.
"He was certainly well respected by those sort of guys who were in the team. They loved playing with him, and are all really happy to see him doing well.
"People involved with that SG Ball team all talk about it. A few years ago he was running around with us, and now here is about to play for Australia in rugby."
Tedesco said he was "very proud" to hear of Skelton's Wallabies call-up this week.
"That's the highest honour, playing for your country," he said. "Rugby obviously suits him and his size perfectly, so he's made a good call there. He's a nice guy so I'm happy for him."
Macleod will be in the Allianz stands today, with zero-point-zero regret about steering Skelton away from league and towards his destiny.
After supplying the Daily Telegraph with a Wests S.G Ball team photo this week, another text from Macleod quickly pinged through.
"Hope it keeps the big fella smiling. He is a better bloke than a footy player, and he is one great footy player."
