England vs South Africa: Grind at Wasps helped Elliot Daly win the battle with Jonathan Joseph

Elliott Daly in England training
David Rogers/Getty Images
Chris Jones10 November 2016

Elliot Daly’s sensational form for Wasps earned him the nod over Jonathan Joseph to make his first start for England when they face South Africa on Saturday.

The 24-year-old centre has helped turn Wasps into one of the most potent attacking forces in European rugby.

Besides pace, excellent footwork and distribution skills, Daly also possesses a left boot capable of thumping over 50-metre penalties.

He will feature in a new-look England midfield alongside Saracens’ Owen Farrell. Meanwhile, Joseph, who has started every game under head coach Eddie Jones, will be on the bench.

The Bath star has trained all week but is struggling with a groin injury and is yet to rediscover the elusive running that made him a fixture at outside-centre.

ENGLAND TEAM TO FACE SOUTH AFRICA

15. Mike Brown (vice captain, Harlequins, 52 caps) 
14. Marland Yarde (Harlequins, 9 caps) 
13. Elliot Daly (Wasps, 5 caps)
12. Owen Farrell (vice captain, Saracens, 43 caps) 
11. Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 19 caps)
10. George Ford (Bath Rugby, 26 caps) 
9. Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 61 caps)

1. Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 35 caps) 
2. Dylan Hartley (captain, Northampton Saints, 75 caps)
3. Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 65 caps) 
4. Joe Launchbury (Wasps, 35 caps)
5. Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 49 caps) 
6. Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, 51 caps)
7. Tom Wood (Northampton Saints, 42 caps)
8. Billy Vunipola (vice captain, Saracens, 29 caps)

Replacements
16. Jamie George (Saracens, 8 caps) 
17. Joe Marler (Harlequins, 42 caps) 
18. Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins, uncapped)
19. Dave Attwood (Bath Rugby, 23 caps) 
20. Nathan Hughes (Wasps, uncapped) 
21. Danny Care (Harlequins, 62 caps)
22. Ben Te’o (Worcester Warriors, uncapped) 
23. Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby, 25 caps)

Daly’s inclusion in the XV at Twickenham for the first of the four autumn Tests marks a remarkable turnaround.

He was among the first group of players cut from England’s ill-fated World Cup squad last year but he has battled back from that body blow.

Former England head coach Stuart Lancaster decided Daly and Saracens’ Maro Itoje were not ready for Test rugby in the build-up to last year’s tournament and axed them at the first opportunity.

Daly was left shattered by Lancaster’s decision but he and Itoje used that rejection as motivation and Jones, who took over as head coach at the start of the year, recognised their potential by bringing them into his squad.

Itoje is injured and will not feature in the four Old Mutual Wealth series of matches after an incredible year and now it is Daly’s chance to showcase his talents.

Jones gave Daly his England debut, against Ireland in the Six Nations in February, and now comes that all-important first start against the Springboks following five appearances from the bench.

Brian O’Driscoll, the former Lions and Ireland centre, is a big fan of Daly.

He said: “I admire the way he plays. A lot of what’s good about Wasps comes through him. There’s nothing quite like the afterburners he’s clearly got. Nothing matches raw pace, especially when you’ve got excellent passers inside you like Owen Farrell or George Ford.

“With the level of possession England’s pack will provide, he’ll be in a good place.”

Although Daly is a Test novice, he is part of an England starting line up with a total of 596 international caps between them as they aim to defeat the Springboks for the first time since 2006.

South Africa, like England, have been hampered by injury problems and while Jones’s side show six changes from the team that beat Australia 44-40 to register a 3-0 series whitewash last June, they are a more settled unit.

Injured wings Jack Nowell and Anthony Watson are replaced by Marland Yarde and Johnny May, while up front Courtney Lawes and Joe Launchbury take over from the injured Itoje and George Kruis. Tom Wood is preferred at flanker to Teimana Harrison.

Joe Marler, the Harlequins prop who stood down for the Australia tour after disciplinary problems, is recalled to the match day squad but has lost the No1 jersey to Mako Vunipola.

You can follow Saturday's clash between England and South Africa live on Standard Sport this Saturday. Click here for more information.

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