Trimmed down Skelton setting benchmark for hungry Wallabies

Wallabies scrum coach Neal Hatley has been impressed by the impact of lock Will Skelton as he looks to showcase his world-class potential at Test level.

Skelton was a shining light out of the defeat to Argentina, producing arguably one of his best games for the Wallabies as he looks to continue it in Saturday's Bledisloe Cup opener against the All Blacks at the MCG. 

The 31-year-old has benefited significantly from the prolonged stay instead of the brief visits, already dropping seven kilograms since returning from France last month.

Hatley is very familiar with Skelton's game from his time as head coach of Bath. He is hopeful Skelton's winning mentality installed by La Rochelle is beginning to translate in camp.

"He’s applied himself unbelievably well. He’s working really well,” Hatley remarked to reporters on Skelton.

"I coached against him twice (at Bath) and we got beaten twice by that La Rochelle side that won the European Cup two years in a row so what he has brought to us is a great mentality. 

“He’s used to winning so he’s brought great energy when there’s little lulls and troughs, it’s normally him (bringing the energy). Sometimes big men don’t act and play like big men but he does, he’s been brilliant around the group in terms of energy.

"He’s up every morning doing extra sessions so just his application to keep getting better, when a group sees somebody who's achieved what he's achieved over the last probably five or six years in Europe and he's still got a real hunger to be better every day, it’s great for the rest of us.”

Hatley and the ever-improving scrum are set for another boost with Taniela Tupou nearing a return to full fitness.

Illness prevented him from training during their brief Gold Coast camp but the prop was at full capacity on Monday, with the prospect of Tupou and Skelton lining up together in the same scrum exciting Hatley.

“It’s a nice picture isn’t it?" he said with a smile.

“It’s no good just having that weight. We’ve got to make sure technically we’re accurate. From what we’ve seen from Taniela (Tupou) over the last four or five weeks coming back from a large injury, he’s scrummaging really square and working hard.

“He’s a really big nail and we’ve got a big hammer behind him so we need him to stay squad in order for the hammer to work."

Hatley is under no illusion about the task that faces them on Saturday.

He praised the efficiency of the All Blacks pack, knowing the opening Bledisloe represents yet another 'step up' for the Wallabies.

However, Hatley is comfortable with the growth shown over the past month as they build towards September's World Cup.

"We’re getting there," he added.

"We had a tough start away in Pretoria. I thought we took a big step forward last week scrummaging wise and there’s a lot more to come

“I think it’s been three weeks now that we’ve had the group together. We made some great strides into Argentina but now we need to go again this weekend.”