Will Skelton will not be making a World Cup comeback with the mammoth second rower reportedly committing to a new contract with Saracens.

Skelton has been playing with English club Saracens for the past two seasons and he has reached some of his best form in recent months in London, sparking speculation that he would be in the Wallabies’ sights for an international comeback.

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika, who gave Skelton his Waratahs debut in 2013, had been in contact with his former charge about a possible return but news of this deal would quash that possibility.

Extending through to 2021 ensures Skelton will remain ineligible for the Wallabies unless there is a change to the “Giteau Law” that requires overseas-based players to have 60 Tests or seven years of Super Rugby service under their belt.

Without that, Skelton would have had to sign a new deal in Super Rugby for 2020 to be able to return to the Test fold, similar to that which enabled Matt Toomua to make his Wallabies comeback last season.

The 26-year-old signed with Saracens after playing a short-term stint with the club in the 2016-17 summer.

Cheika opens up on Larkham axing

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has opened up on the decision that led to Stephen Larkham’s departure as national attack coach.

Speaking to RugbyPass in Dublin, Cheika said he had to put personal relationships aside to make the difficult decision, with Larkham the only assistant moving on after an end of year review.

“This season, reviewed it, had to make some difficult decisions which I thought needed to be made and did it because I thought this was the way I’d get the best outcome for the team going forward,” he said.

“It’s pretty simple.

“(It’s) hard, but when I say hard, hard to do but when you really take stock, if you take a step back, take away the relationships and the emotional part – because everyone’s friends – you then decide this is what I’ve got to do and you make the decision, that’s the way it is.”

Cheika also said he wasn’t perturbed by news late last year that Jake White had sought out Rugby Australia to voice his interest in the Wallabies coaching position with Cheika under immense pressure amid a lean Test season.

The call ultimately never happened after White’s intentions were made public but Cheika said the storm hadn’t worried him.

“I can only do my thing and do my best at that which is what we’re doing,” he said.

“You can’t live your life by other people’s rules, you’be got to live your life by your own, do the best you can and put your head on the pillow at night.

“I know you guys like to hype up all that other stuff but for me I’m answering to what I think is going to be the best thing to get Australia where it wants to be in November this year.

“That’s what it’s always been – second last time, this is it, you’ve got to come first this time or you haven’t improved over the four years. I don’t have any fear in saying that because it ‘s the truth of the matter.”

Cheika’s time with the Wallabies is all but certain to finish after the World Cup, with his contract running to the end of the year but his next move could be anything from “sitting in a beach to Brazil” to returning to an overseas job.

Leicester are reportedly interested in signing the Heineken Cup and Super Rugby winning coach as they face relegation after a dismal season but Cheika said he had not been in any discussions about his post-World Cup plans.

Sevens comeback on the cards for Dalton

Chloe Dalton is looking to add more silverware to her cabinet with Carlton in the AFLW on Sunday but the former Aussie Sevens star is on track for a rugby comeback.

Dalton was the 2017 Australian sevens player of the year but made the switch to Aussie Rules in 2018 after walking away from rugby and moving to Melbourne.

Still only 25, Dalton has plenty of time left in her sporting career and the Aussie Sevens are keen to bring her back into the program.

Coaches and players have stayed in contact with Dalton since she left.

Dalton hinted that an Olympics berth was on her radar in a recent piece in Players Voice.

“For me, playing overseas and representing your country is a massive honour, and I have to admit that the Tokyo 2020 Olympics are in the back of my mind. It’s a real temptation,” she wrote.

Genia’s Brisbane celebrations cut short

Will Genia’s return to Suncorp Stadium may have been a success but there was no celebration for the former Red.

Genia spent the night in hospital after the win, gaining treatment for an infected cheek that led to his left eye almost closing during the Rebels’ clash against Queensland on Saturday night.

Melbourne coach Dave Wessels said Genia had not sustained structural damage to his cheek, rather picked up an infection ahead of the match that required treatment with antibiotics in hospital.

It is not expected to keep the scrumhalf out of next Saturday’s clash against the Sunwolves in Melbourne.

The infection had no impact on Genia’s sense of humour though.

When halves partner Quade Cooper was asked if he would meet up with Reds coach Brad Thorn to shake hands after the match, Genia butted in, telling the Fox Sports team the Queenslanders “didn’t give a rat’s” about the pair, a playful reminder of defence coach Peter Ryan’s quip in the lead-up to the game as the Reds attempted to avoid talking about their former match-winners.

Aussies snap up World Cup tickets

A run of disappointing Wallabies results hasn’t dimmed Australia’s appetite for the Rugby World Cup with Aussies snapping up tickets for the tournament.

Australia has had the second-highest take up of tickets for international fans buying 15 per cent of the tickets sold outside of Japan.

England sits on top of the list, with 23.6 per cent of tickets, while Ireland, France and New Zealand round out the top five.

The Rugby World Cup kicks off on September 20 with Japan and Russia facing off in the tournament opener.

Reds don club colours at Suncorp

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Their clash against the Rebels may not have finished as they would have liked but the Reds were at least able to pay tribute to their roots in club round.

The Reds ditched their uniform maroon socks in favour of a colourful array of footwear that honoured the players’ junior and senior clubs.

Queensland women’s Super W side are also set to turn out in club colours, their garb honouring their club ties.

Reds captain Samu Kerevi hailed the move that celebrated clubs including North Queensland product Harry Hockings’ Bowen Mudcrabs, Harry Hoopert’s Dalby Wheatmen and Duncan Paia’aua’s Rockhampton Colts, among others.

Players also wore club jerseys to the captain’s run on Friday, with Kerevi training in his Souths jumper.

“Obviously it’s good to get that recognition. We came through club and it’s an important part of our growth in Queensland Rugby, so for us to play through Premier Rugby or colts or first grade, really helps us coming into the NRC and Super Rugby,” Kerevi said.

Farrell puts hand up to play with mid-labour call to coach

England flyhalf Owen Farrell missed Saracens’ Champions Cup quarter-final against Glasgow but he did everything he could to try and make the game.

Farrell was in hospital with wife Georgie awaiting the birth of their first child on the same day as the game.

With the baby’s arrival and kick-off time nearing, Farrell launched an ambitious ploy to try and play.

Coach Mark McCall said Farrell called him less than an hour before play to try and make the case that he could play in the knock-out match.

“He phoned me at 2″:30 and said ‘in the next half hour’…,” said McCall. “I said ‘Owen, the game starts at 3.15! I don’t actually know if he’s had the baby yet.

“We had a rough cut-off point. His wife went into labour last night. At 8.30am he was pretty confident it would all happen, but it didn’t.

“But the important thing was that he was where he should have been – with his wife.”

Farrell needn’t have worried about the match – Saracens qualified for the final four with a 56-27 win over their Scottish rivals.