Elliot Daly’s a work in progress and Australia will target him, warns Jason Robinson

EXCLUSIVE
High stakes: Elliot Daly has had a mixed series so far
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Chris Jones23 November 2018

Elliot Daly has been warned that if Australia “smell blood” in his latest attempt to prove he can be England’s World Cup full-back, he could be in for a torrid time on Saturday.

Jason Robinson, one of England’s 2003 World Cup heroes, played at both full-back and wing during his Test career and knows the problems Daly is facing after being handed the No15 jersey normally worn by Mike Brown, of Harlequins.

Daly, who plays outside centre for Wasps, has used his outstanding pace and footballing skills to become a Test wing for England and the Lions, but now Eddie Jones has made him his first-choice full-back.

Bath’s Anthony Watson was perceived as Brown’s natural successor, but serious knee injuries have stalled his progress — and Jones might prefer to utilise him on the wing anyway, when fit.

Worryingly for Daly, he has struggled at times during this series, failing to deal with the high ball against South Africa and suffering similar problems in the New Zealand defeat, creating the impression that after years of Brown’s reliability in defusing opposition kicks, England are now vulnerable.

This will not have escaped the notice of the Wallaby coaching staff and Daly can expect to be severely tested in what are predicted to be wet conditions at Twickenham tomorrow.

Robinson is convinced that Jones wants Daly to be England’s full-back in Japan next year, but accepts the on-the-job training is exposing the 26-year-old’s lack of experience in the role. Daly was the full-back in England’s three summer Tests in South Africa, however, it was expected Brown or Watson would be back this season.

Instead, Jones has opted for Daly and Robinson said: “Australia will have been studying England and seen where mistakes were made in terms of dropped balls and players being out of position. Australia are a very smart team and if they smell blood they will keep using the same tactic, particularly if the conditions are not good. However, it is credit to Elliot that he has gone from centre, to being England’s best wing and now first choice full-back.

“In my Test career, 80 per cent was at wing and 20 per cent at full-back, and while Elliot has a massive left boot, which is handy, he is a work in progress at full-back. The last thing you want is doubt in your mind when the high ball goes up. A split-second could mean you finish a metre away from where the ball lands.

“When you move roles, you are not going to be as clued up as someone who appears there regularly — and that means Elliot is going to be out of position at some point. While many will say Mike Brown has not been as good with ball in hand, you cannot fault his game under the high ball.

In Pictures | England vs Japan | 17/112018

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“Positionally, there is still work to do for Elliot, and while you get tested aerially on the wing, at full-back you really are isolated. There have been times when he has gone for the ball and not been in the right position to take it. When the opposition kick to you, the aim is to either drop it on you, so you are static, or get you moving backwards, so you struggle to jump.

“It is also about working with your wingers in defence and they have been constantly changed by England during the Autumn Tests — and that doesn’t help the full-back. When I played with Josh Lewsey and Ben Cohen, I knew instinctively what they would be doing in certain defensive situations, because we had played in so many Tests.

“England played at a different level against New Zealand, but were not on the money against Japan — and to be No1 they have to deliver those big performances every match.”

Daly retains the confidence of Jones, with the head coach insisting: “He’s not just one bloke at the back. It’s a bit like if you let six goals in and just blame the goalkeeper, but there’s a bit that goes on before that. He keeps growing and he is going to be a good full-back.”

Jason Robinson is an ambassador for Fuzion 100, the official sports drink and rehydration partner to England Rugby.

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