Daly ready to answer Gatland’s biggest call

England wing shines in 34-6 win over Chiefs Substitution suggests he has clinched a Test start

Elliot Daly declared himself ready to play his second game for the British and Irish Lions in four days as Warren Gatland, the Lions head coach, admitted he was facing one of the toughest selection calls of his career for the first Test against the All Blacks on Saturday.

Daly appears to be in direct competition with George North for a place on the left wing, and pressed his claims with his best performance of the tour in the moraleboosting 34-6 victory over the Chiefs in Hamilton yesterday.

The fact that Daly was replaced midway through the second half prompted suggestions that he may have done enough to displace one of Gatland’s most trusted lieutenants in North, who has struggled to find his top form on the tour.

Daly, the Wasps wing, insisted the prospect of backing up yesterday’s game if selected in the Test team would not be a problem.

“I think if anyone was given a Lions jersey they’ll be ready to play, and I’m ready,” said Daly, who was one of the most improved players in the England squad last season.

“At the start of the year I didn’t think I had a chance. If I got anywhere near it, it would be unbelievable. Whatever happens, happens. You’ve done as much as you can now, and whoever gets selected we are going to get behind them.

“We’ve got training on Thursday and if you’re not in the team you’re going to try and push those who are, to try and prepare them as best as possible for Saturday.”

Daly starred in a much-improved performance by the back three, with Exeter wing Jack Nowell scoring two tries – including a spectacular length-of-the-field score involving nine players – and Liam Williams showing his strength as an attacking threat from full-back.

While Nowell was praised by Gatland yesterday, he has had two poor matches on tour. With Anthony Watson virtually certain to be chosen, the battle for the remaining berth at wing comes down to North v Daly.

Gatland revealed that the line-up to be named early tomorrow in New Zealand will be a collective decision taken by the whole coaching group, and will not come down to the final say of the head coach.

When asked if Daly would feature on Saturday at Eden Park, Gatland acknowledged that it was “possible”, either as a starter or as one of the replacements.

The upbeat manner of the first midweek victory of the tour has forced Gatland to revise his initial thinking and, for that, he is grateful. “The selection meeting will be tough and that’s the way we want it,” he said. “Guys put their hands up tonight, and there will be some healthy debate. Everyone is being pushed, and that is absolutely what you want. Elliot looked sharp.

“It just hadn’t happened for Jack in the first couple of games. He is a player who is prolific in terms of getting his hands on the ball. He showed that when he scored his tries. I was pleased to see him play well.

“The selection meeting will be with all the coaches.

It’s the consensus of that group, it’s never one person’s call. It is coaches discussing the options and the positions and collectively agreeing. I am sure there will be some lively debate and discussion.”

Much of that has been generated by a rousing display at Gatland’s old stomping ground at the Waikato Stadium – and the win will certainly put a spring in the step of the Test team as they prepare for the start of the three-match series, at a venue where the All Blacks have not lost since 1994.

Daly said: “I think we created a lot of chances in the second half tonight, especially in that third quarter. It opened up for us and it’s probably the most open game we’ve had so far on tour. We had a lot of ball in space and created a lot of chances, which is brilliant. Rob [Howley] is very happy we got over the line for a few tries.”

Nowell said the back three had remained “very tight” despite their collective frustrations at failing to fire as a unit in the majority of the six warm-up matches.

“We have a lot of respect for each other, but we do understand that every time you get that chance to play with the Lions shirt, you get the chance to put your hand up for selection,” he said.

“It hasn’t come a lot for the wingers – it’s been wet and drizzly – but the main thing is we are pushing each other, helping each other. The most pleasing thing that Warren said to me was, ‘You’ve got free licence, we don’t want you on the wing, go off and do whatever you want, do what you do for Exeter’.”

Chiefs’ head coach Dave Rennie, who takes over from Gregor Townsend at Glasgow, believes that the upturn in the Lions’ fortunes bodes well for the series. “The Lions have got better and better and it will be an exciting series,” said Rennie. “It is going to be the series everyone hoped it would be.”