By
This Bledisloe Cup may have come and gone, but there is still plenty for Australia to play for when they host the All Blacks this weekend, says Will Skelton.
The Wallabies will be looking to snap a ten-game losing streak against the All Blacks in their final Rugby Championship clash in Perth on Saturday. In addition, a win would put them in contention for their first title in a decade.
"I've been in the Perth sunshine and yeah, definitely acclimatised," Skelton told reporters on Monday.
"The Rugby Championship is still up for grabs, there's still a lot to play for. Also, playing in the jersey, we've got guys like Slips who've played 150 games for his country.
"We want to make everyone in Australia proud of what we do and how we play footy. The [Bledisloe] series might be gone, but we're definitely putting everything we can into winning this Rugby Championship.
"That will start [with] today's training, and then we'll build the week nicely so that we can really be at our peak come Saturday."
Skelton will headline a series of big returns for the Wallabies, with Rob Valetini also back and Josh Flook coming in for the injured Andrew Kellaway.
Nic White will also rejoin the squad after Tate McDermott was ruled out with a hamstring injury, but the twice-retired Wallaby veteran will likely serve as support for Jake Gordon and Ryan Lonergan.
Even with the Wallabies picking up several injuries, Skelton has been in close contact with the squad - and believes the growing squad depth is playing a major part in the improving results.
"I love being in this environment," Skelton added.
"I'm thankful that not much has changed in four weeks, in terms of game plan, in terms of structuresâ¦I've been training the whole time at La Rochelle, so I feel pretty fit.
"You see it just at training, how hard we compete, how hard training is. We try and get the best out of each other. We're all pretty close, we're all pretty tight in the group, we're connected, and you can see that on the weekend.
"We didn't get the result, but we fought as hard as we could to bring that game back. You talk about depth we've got guys in every position. You take out Bobby [Valetini], you've got Hoops [Tom Hooper].
Lukhan [Salakia-Loto] doesn't play, [Josh] Canham can jump straight in. Nick Frost, Jeremy Williams have been playing great footy.
"It's another opportunity for myself to come in and try and add to the squad, not just be a part of it. Try and be better, bring intensity, bring physicality.
"That's what the squad needs, and that's what we've had the last few weeks.
"The more opportunities you get to play, the more you want to play. It's a privilege to be named in squads, it's a privilege to be around this team, to wear the gold jersey. It's something that all the players in this group love doing, myself included."
