Lock of the Barbarians Will Skelton has recounted the first time he had a hangover after a night out with the Saracens that ended in retching over the toilet bowl. The Wallabies Lock return to London this week as part of Fabien Gathie’s side to face England this Sunday at Twickenham.
Skelton, now based in La Rochelle, was recently crowned the winner of the Heineken Champions Cup, the second time he won the trophy as a starting player in the final while playing in the 2019 decider with Saracens, the Gallager Premiership club which he originally joined on loan. in the winter of 2016.
Skelton began this quirky stint in London with a pair of Champions Cup games against Sale, followed by the side getting whisked away for one of their infamous bonding sessions, a memory that the Aussie has now humorously recalled during an appearance this week. Download RugbyPass.
Will Skelton on Champions Cup celebrations and playing for the Barbarians | Download RugbyPass | Episode 38
“I came on loan for eight weeks, we played Sale at home and then Sale away and they were like, ‘Oh yeah, we’ve got a trip. I thought, ‘What do you mean by a trip, a training camp or something like that?’ They’re like, ‘No’.
“I’m not sure I’m packing my boots properly and then you’re literally at 4am on the bus to Gatwick. I was not a heavy drinker. I literally think it was the first time I was hungover with the boys in my life, so it was a new experience. Thank you, Schalk Burger for giving me pints all night. He can drink, man. Oh my god, he can drink. It was a good trip. It was awesome.
“Peer pressure got me there. Like I said, I didn’t drink so I didn’t eat and that first morning after first night, I’m right there over the toilet, spilling my guts. I had nothing coming out, just bile. It burned my throat. I didn’t drink after that…until the next trip.
After seven appearances on loan, Skelton returned to Saracens full-time after finishing the 2017 Super Rugby season with the Waratahs and he has continued to enjoy further bonding trips with Mark McCall’s side, who will play this Saturday in their last Premiership final. when they face Leicester.
Skelton believes those off-pitch bonding sessions were crucial to the construction team culture when he was at Saracens. “It’s very important and it gave something to look forward to off the pitch. I remember we were always told about a month, six weeks before the trip.
“They would say where we were going and do a slideshow of what was to come. This revived the boys. So we would have a block of games and you think we have to go through Northampton, Newcastle and then we go, we’re in Ibiza or wherever. It was always a special moment. »
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