The Wallabies’ hopes of ending a decade-long Rugby Championship drought have suffered a major setback, with Will Skelton set to miss the rest of the tournament.

According to The Roar, the giant lock – whose presence has transformed Australia’s pack – will return to France this week to rejoin La Rochelle ahead of their Top 14 clash against Bordeaux.

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The news comes as a blow to Australian rugby fans, who had hoped Skelton might extend his stay beyond the two-Test tour of South Africa.

“I will definitely be on the flight home,” Skelton said after the Wallabies’ breakthrough victory at Ellis Park earlier this month.

“We are having ongoing conversations about what the rest of the Rugby Championship looks like. We will have a think this week and have a chat with the brains trust and see what we get to.”

Those talks have ended with Skelton heading back to Europe, where head coach Ronan O’Gara is eager to have his star lock back after La Rochelle’s failure to make the Top 14 playoffs. O’Gara once described Skelton as his most important signing, such has been his influence in France.

Skelton’s impact on the Wallabies was immediate. After helping Joe Schmidt’s men rebound from a bruising loss to the British & Irish Lions, he produced towering displays in front of 90,000 at the MCG, in Sydney’s stormy conditions, and across both Tests in South Africa. His presence was central to Australia’s first Ellis Park victory in 62 years, while the Springboks’ famed “bomb squad” made little headway in the scrums and mauls with him on the field.

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The loss leaves Schmidt to turn to alternatives such as Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, who was unused in the opening six Tests but remains in the mix to partner Nick Frost and Jeremy Williams.

Looking further ahead, the 33-year-old has not been ruled out of playing at the 2027 World Cup on home soil.

“He’s a behemoth, really, isn’t he?” Schmidt said.

“He’s a very big human, but he’s also agile and skillful, and he’s got great connection in the group. And the other thing is, he is incredibly proud every time he puts that gold jersey on. He’s incredibly keen to be part of things.”

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