'Menace': Twin towers loom as Wallabies 'edge'

Will Skelton is licking his lips astatine the imaginable of teaming up with Richie Arnold successful the Wallabies pack.

Australia's rugby rivals are astir apt little enthused.

These sorts of facts aren't readily disposable but if Skelton and Arnold bash squad up successful Australia's 2nd row, it would surely fertile among the biggest fastener pairings in satellite rugby history.

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Will Skelton of Australia is tackled by Jack Crowley of Ireland. (Getty)

Skelton is listed astatine 203cm and 140kg. Arnold is taller but leaner astatine 208cm and 127kg.

The antheral mountains person been locking horns regularly successful France successful caller seasons.

"Richie's a pest connected the rugby field, he's a nuisance," Skelton told reporters from Wallabies campy connected the Gold Coast connected Tuesday.

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Richie Arnold of Toulouse is tackled by Sean Cronin and Sean O'Brien of Leinster. (Getty)

"In the lineout peculiarly he's a menace, besides he's physical, helium has that edge, his cognition of the crippled is up determination arsenic good with the champion of them.

"But no, he's a large guy, I've played a batch against Richie. I deliberation I'm bloody 0-9 against Richie and his member (Rory) astatine Toulouse, truthful that's not bully to perceive each clip the boys notation it successful camp.

"I'm blessed that Richie's present due to the fact that helium deserves it, he's been playing satellite people rugby implicit astatine Toulouse and hopefully helium brings that acquisition and that signifier into the golden jersey."

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Skelton, who plays for La Rochelle, has accumulated 24 Test caps but Arnold is yet to propulsion connected the golden jersey.

Wallabies manager Eddie Jones has made nary concealed astir the powerfulness crippled helium plans to execute astatine the Rugby World Cup and it volition beryllium fascinating to spot whether helium instantly throws some giants into the Loftus Versfeld against South Africa connected July 9 (AEST).

The other fastener options successful the Wallabies squad are Nick Frost, Jed Holloway, Tom Hooper and Rob Leota.

Will Skelton of La Rochelle gets to grips with Antoine Dupont of Toulouse. (Getty)

Skelton, 31, is wide regarded arsenic 1 of the astir influential players successful European rugby but freely admits helium hasn't translated that signifier into the Test arena.

"I astir apt person had a batch of accidental successful the jersey," Skelton said.

"Probably not taken the champion measurement forward, I deliberation successful my idiosyncratic opinion, performance-wise. But it's evidently a antithetic accidental present for maine to travel implicit present and inject a spot of acquisition now, a spot of wisdom, I'm a spot older present arsenic good and spot what I tin adhd to this squad going forward."

Swans connection behind Wallabies co-captains

Skelton was besides asked astir the "edge" Jones had brought to the Wallabies.

"I can't accidental the word, but it's the 'c word," Skelton quipped.

"Edge is being tough, astatine grooming not letting guys spell done contact, it's competing each set, each maul, each scrum, and that starts astatine grooming and that volition transportation to the tract connected a Saturday nighttime oregon a Sunday arvo that we play."

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