Daly may be 33, but on the evidence of that tour, he looked to be in the best condition of his career, and it is a theory backed up the evidence in front of England head coach Steve Borthwick, who described Daly on Wednesday as being “in as good a shape as I have ever seen him”.
Daly, who has won 73 caps, has not played a game for club or country since that arm break back in July, but that Borthwick has not doubt in bringing him straight into the starting XV to face Argentina on Sunday, is the most significant of the six changes he has made to the side that defeated New Zealand on Saturday.
If he was only cleared to return to full contact at the start of last week, this is a selection firmly with a view on the Six Nations opener against Wales next February. For Daly is now viewed as a potentially key cog in unlocking the greatest potential in an England backline which will be dripping with gain-line breaking and finishing speed.
If Borthwick wants to opt for a midfield powerhouse of Ollie Lawrence and Tommy Freeman, for example, Daly’s role as a second distributor would be key, most likely from full-back. He also offers a huge left boot kicking option as well as the ability to land penalties from long range.
When he first broke into the squad under Eddie Jones in 2016, the former England head coach struggled to make his mind up which position to play him – outside centre, left wing, full-back?
One suspects that now that he is entering the final stage of his career, Borthwick is likely to settle on him as a full-back, even though he will start on Sunday against Argentina on the left wing, to accommodate Freddie Steward and his aerial strength in what is a backline that is stacked with play-makers – George Ford, Fraser Dingwall and Henry Slade.
It suggests that England are poised to embrace an even more attacking game plan as they bid to secure their 11th successive Test victory, and a shining display by Daly will ensure England sign off with him firmly in Borthwick’s thoughts. The best years of his career may yet be ahead of him.
