Guinness Premiership : Skinner to skipper Quins

Skinner to skipper Quins

5 June 2008, 5:10 pm

By Jonathan McConnell

Will Skinner will be club captain at Harlequins next season

Skinner, who has already taken on the captaincy role for a number of games last season with great effect, joined Quins from Leicester Tigers in the summer of 2006. He made his debut against Clermont in August that year, and has since been a valuable asset to the Quins squad, making 38 appearances in the quartered jersey.

He is likely to be the youngest Guinness Premiership captain next season, captaining a side determined to build on last year's sixth place position and Heineken Cup qualification spot.

After his role as captain of the England Saxons, with that squad shortly to play against USA and Canada, he will return to Quins to take up his new position:

"I am really honoured to have been given the position of captain. It is one of my proudest achievements and a sign of the belief that Dean Richards and the coaching staff have in me.

Quins is a special and close knit-club, with players who play for each other. There is so much potential in such a young squad, along with a huge amount of ambition, and I am looking forward to next season."

Harlequins Director of Rugby, Dean Richards, believes Will Skinner has all the qualities to be a great captain:

"Will is an intelligent, passionate and talented player. He is a captain who leads by example and is hugely respected by all players and staff. He has already proven himself as a player and captain, both at club and international level, and I look forward to him leading the team next season."