>> Nick Cain reports
Eddie lines up Elliot Daly to be World Cup full-back
ELLIOT Daly is being groomed as England’s 2019 World Cup full-back as Eddie Jones attempts a gear-shift designed to get his side back in the fast lane after they stalled badly in the Six Nations.
The experiment gets underway this afternoon as the turbo-charged Daly, the Wasps outside-centre who has made his name on the wing for both England and the Lions, starts at 15 when England face the Barbarians at Twickenham.
The significance of the positional switch is emphasised by Jones moving his 2016 Grand Slam full-back, Mike Brown, to the wing against the Barbarians while Daly gets the opportunity to make an impression in the 15 shirt ahead of summer tour of South Africa.
It is a bold move and one that has the potential to pay off as richly as Sir Clive Woodward’s decision in the build up to 2003 to move Josh Lewsey– another Wasps wing and centre – to full-back. Lewsey’s ability to cut the line gave Woodward’s world-beaters a new counter-attacking dynamic, and Daly has the attributes to do the same for Jones’ side.
It suggests also that Jones may not have been persuaded during the Six Nations that Anthony Watson, who is recovering from a ruptured Achilles’ tendon, is a better full-back than he is wing.
The three-Test series kicks off in Johannesburg in a fortnight, and when Jones was quizzed about whether this decision to deploy Daly at the back was a serious strategic change his response was: “One hundred per cent. He has gas, he is quick – seriously quick. And he has a massive left foot and has a good sense for the game.”
The England head coach took it a step further by observing that the length of Daly’s kicking from hand could be a crucial tactical weapon with the first two Tests against the Springboks on the high veld. “If you look at Tests at altitude, they are big kicking games because the ball flies another ten to 15 metres. To have a guy back there that can kick the ball 60 metres means he now kicks it 70 to 75 metres.”
Daly, who has played only occasionally at full-back for Wasps, and this season has been employed mainly on the wing with a few games at 13, has gained a reputation for being gifted enough to adapt to anything.
“I reckon he could join the England cricket side, and he would take the new ball, and score a few runs”, Jones said. “He is one of those naturally talented sports people. We have seen he can play 11 or 13 without any worry. I have no doubt he will adapt to 15. He will have his hairy moments, but he will adapt very well.”
Jones is confident that Daly will take the move to full-back in his ground-eating stride, despite not having started there since playing in the corresponding fixture four seasons ago. “He has 18 months to settle into a position, and that’s how we have timed it. We feel like 15 could be his position.”
He added that Daly is currently honing his high ball skills with Neil Craig, the
“He has gas, he is seriously quick. And he has a massive left foot and a good sense for the game”
former Aussie Rules coach who was appointed England’s head of high performance at the start of the season.
Daly seems relaxed about his new assignment, but is thankful for Craig’s expert tuition. He said: “It is refining what you do now, and thinking about other things you can be doing. Craigy is really good in that regard and I am speaking with Mike Brown, who is very assured under the high ball. We do a lot in training together. It is good. AFL do a lot of catching under pressure. It is about getting as much height as possible, and it is mainly AFL drills.”
Daly says he has also been impressed by the input of England’s new attack consultant, Scott Wisemantel, another Australian, but this time with a background in Rugby League as a player with NRL side Paramatta Eels before switching codes and then becoming a Rugby Union coach.
“He has been really good, bringing a lot of energy to training. He is very refined on his running lines and ball in hand stuff. I have only had one and a half sessions with the lads, and am looking forward to having more opportunities with him.”
Daly says he copes with the different positional demands at wing, outsidecentre and full-back by not exaggerating them.
“It is only different on set-pieces. Your roles on a set-piece move might change a bit, but apart from that it is pretty much playing rugby and going where you think you need to be. If you are a fullback you have to be thinking about the back three a little bit more, but as a 13, 11 and 15 in open play I try and play in the same way – trying to get my hands on the ball and make things happen. Eddie gives you the licence to do that, to be fair.” Daly says that Jones has not discussed with him the idea of finding his best position, indicating the head coach’s policy is also to take the pressure off. “I have not had a conversation with him about that. He picks the team, and I just want to be in the 23 every week. If he wants me to play 15 I will do that to the best of my ability, and see where that takes the team and the squad.
“I switched positions a lot when I wa younger, told I was a wing, a full-back and a centre. Different people have diff ent ideas about you as a player, but the coach at the time is the one who picks t team, and you have to see where he wants to put you. If that is a position y have not played too much in, it is not to big a deal. He thinks you can do a good job there having seen you play, and tha gives you confidence.” Asked what position he would pick himself in Daly takes a direct line: “In my head I have always been an outsid centre, but the last few years have go very well on the wing, so I cannot really answer that question.” He adds: “I would like to pl outside-centre in the Premi ship and back three in international rugby. I do feel you get your hands the ball that much on t wing in the Premiership but you see it more at international lev In that regard, works that I play in all three posi tions.” Daly
says he has also had the benefit of watching a master at work with Willie Le Roux enjoying such an outstanding season at full-back for Wasps that it could catapult him into the South Africa side to face England.
“Willie has been unbelievable this year; the number of assists he has had in the league, top with more than 20. To be playing with that kind of player – I was on the wing at the end of the season when he was at 15 – and to see how he worked, and how he read the game, was a great help to me. I have been with him for 18 months at Wasps, and it has been a great experience for me, helping me in the back three.
“He is quality... creating opportunities for others and finishing as well. His main threat is in his hands. He is good in possession, and, as soon as he gets it, he is looking to put people into space and looking to sit down defenders. I hope he gets in the South Africa squad.”
However, his first assignment will be opposite a fellow Englishman, with former Red Rose wing Chris Ashton likely to to be the Barbarians full-back after being deployed there by Toulon this season.
“I have not played against him that much, though I did when he was at Sarries a few times,” Daly says. “He has shown his class this year and has been really good for Toulon. If their back three is Tuisova, Radrada and him they have played together before and will have a bit of an understanding.”
As for his own ambitions Daly says his main one is to get his hands on the ball as much as possible at full-back.
“I have a licence to roam and Eddie has always said to go out there and play as a centre on the wing, trying to get your hands on the ball and make things happen. That is what I try and do every time I go out on to the pitch. I am very excited at the prospect – I can’t wait.”
If England’s most exciting runner finds his feet at full-back the Twickenham crowd will be of like mind.