Blackett backs ace Daly for Six Nations star turn
ENGLAND’S Elliot Daly can put a sub-standard Autumn series behind him and take the Six Nations by storm, says Wasps attack coach Lee Blackett.
Daly looked less than secure under the high ball while playing at full-back in November and a difficult season at Wasps has seen the 26-year-old struggle for top form at centre and wing amid continuing speculation over a big money move to Saracens.
However, England boss Eddie Jones has kept faith with Daly – one of five Wasps in the 35-man squad along with Joe Launchbury, Brad Shields, Nathan Hughes and uncapped Dan Robson – and Blackett is tipping the versatile back to silence his critics. Blackett, right, told
The Rugby Paper: “It’s a bit harsh to say Elliot’s had a poor year because there have been plenty of positives within his game as well and I think we’ll see the best of him now.
“Losing someone like Christian Wade didn’t help us because it’s meant Elliot playing in multiple positions at times, but it’s a big strength of his that he’s got that versatility and he’s got the all-round game and Xfactor that makes him such a threat. “He’s been kicking exceptionally well for us off the tee and out of hand and he’s definitely a game-winner. He’s come up with those big moments many times for Wasps and England and hopefully we’ll see that for England again in the Six Nations.
“I’d want him in my team any day of the year.”
Meanwhile, the inclusion of Launchbury, Hughes and Robson by England is ironic given Wasps have seen so little of the trio throughout a hugely disjointed season.
A chronic injury list, along with Wade leaving and the sideshow over the future of departing stars Hughes, Willie Le Roux, Jake Cooper-Woolley and Will Stuart, means Wasps have been fighting fires while clinging to the coattails of the Premiership’s top four.
However, with the signings of Malakai Fekitoa and Jeff Toomaga-Allen sealed for next season, Blackett insists: “It’ll only make us stronger in the long run.
“With the amount of injuries we’ve had, guys who were playing Championship last season have suddenly been playing in the Premiership and Europe when you’d have liked to have brought them in gradually. We’ve just had no consistency.
“No one likes losing and you always look hard at yourself, but we’re confident we’ll get through this and we’ve never felt we are out of the race.
“We’re sixth now and when you see how tight the league is, win the next game and we could be up to third again. There are a lot of clubs in the same position and it’s the tightest I’ve ever known the Premiership, so we still have a chance.”