I CAN BE A DALY STAR!
RUGBY UNION: LIONS TOUR Elliot out to earn Test spot
® from PETE SAMSON in Hamilton
ELLIOT DALY is out to change Warren Gatland’s mind and force his way into the British Lions squad for Saturday’s first Test.
Daly is in the last-chance saloon when he lines up against the Waikato Chiefs this morning.
With the line-up to face New Zealand all but set in stone, it will take something special from the England back. But the tour party’s most versatile player is out to seize his late opportunity.
Daly said: “Warren said if you play well, spots are always up for grabs. That will be in everybody’s head.
“When I’ve come on, I haven’t had a lot of ball but I’ll be looking to work my way around the pitch as much as possible.
“Everybody who is in the team for this game just wants to try and express themselves and play well. But you only do that as a team, not as individuals.”
Change
Daly’s ability to play across the back line makes him an ideal bench candidate.
Leigh Halfpenny is nailed on to start at full-back but with George North and Anthony Watson below their best, Gatland could still be persuaded into a change of heart on the wing.
Daly, 24, has 80 minutes to show what he can do in attempting to help the Lions to a first midweek win on this tour in Gatland’s hometown.
He added: “Momentum is massive on tours and we want that to take us into the Test on Saturday.
“We have created line breaks and we would probably want a couple more tries, but the skill-set of the players here is unbelievable. You can see that in training.
“Without calling, stuff is happening on the hoof and that’s only getting better as we go along.” LIONS: Williams; Nowell, Payne, Henshaw, Daly; Biggar, Laidlaw; Marler, Best (capt), Cole, Henderson, Lawes, Haskell, Tipuric, Stander. Replacements: Dacey, Dell, Francis, Hill, Jones, Davies, Russell, Seymour. CHIEFS: Stevenson; Pulu, Nanai-Williams, Faauli, Alaimalo; Donald (capt), Christie; Sanders, Boshier, Brown, Allardice, Bird, Laulala, Polwort, Fisi’ihoi. Replacements: Elliot, Ross, Moli, Messam, Karpik, Taumateine, Laulala, Tiatia. Ref: Jerome Garces (France). TV: Sky Sports 1, 8am. England no decent centre midfield. And the 3 across the back? There must be better defenders than them. Even in the Championship. No hope for us I’m afraid. What is Gareth Southgate thinking against France? We have a good left back on the bench in Cresswell and he puts a right back (Walker) on at left back! What must Cresswell have been thinking? Walker not even a good right back. I’ve said all along Southgate wasn’t the answer as manager. I have more movement than Dier and I have a bad leg! How come Lindelof price is £31m what about the £8.8m add ons? Just like all the sponsorship deals fantasy figures! The only person Conor McGregor should be thinking about fighting is his tattooist. Rashford nowhere near good enough or experienced enough for full England team. Should be tried in under-21s just cause moaning Mourinho says full squad. England need a manager, not another yes man.