England EPS 2016/17 season.

[TRF_Olyy]

Don't think he's ever played wing at club level, certainly can't remember him ever starting there.
In his early days at Wasps he played a bit of 15, but more at centre, and then as time went on he settled more and more into centre - made sense at the time as we seemed ok at 15 with Foden and Brown but no depth in the centres at all, but now the tables have turned.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Don't think he's ever played wing at club level, certainly can't remember him ever starting there.
In his early days at Wasps he played a bit of 15, but more at centre, and then as time went on he settled more and more into centre - made sense at the time as we seemed ok at 15 with Foden and Brown but no depth in the centres at all, but now the tables have turned.

I know he started wing a couple of times when he first started out for Wasps but it was never a consistent position for him.

On this subject, a useless fact that I found quite interesting is that at U20 level when JJ and Daly were in the same team it was JJ who played wing with Daly at 13. Just found that interesting.

 

[Which Tyler]

Has Daly at 15 ever been a regular thing at any level?

Yes, he spent about 1-2 years ostensibly as a fullback who filled in at OC a while ago - it's wing that's entirely new to him. AFAICR he'd never started a match on the wing before Eddie picked him there.

 

[MarkyH]

Watson plays 15 for Bath right? Surely makes more sense for Watson at 15 and Daly, if not OC to play on the wing seeing as that's where he's got more recent experience....

Not going to start this again, but Watson is a FB who plays on the wing so play him in his main position. Daly can sit on the wing if he can't play in his main position...

Happy to be corrected...

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Watson plays 15 for Bath right? Surely makes more sense for Watson at 15 and Daly, if not OC to play on the wing seeing as that's where he's got more recent experience....

Not going to start this again, but Watson is a FB who plays on the wing so play him in his main position. Daly can sit on the wing if he can't play in his main position...

Happy to be corrected...

I'd agree with this, think Watson performs far better at FB than on the wing whereas I don't believe the switch to FB would improve Daly's all around play much. If he gets game time at 15 for Wasps this season then I'm all for it but until then...

When was the last time Daly started anywhere other than 13 for Wasps? I remember him at 12 last season in one game when Piatau was outside him but other than that I'm struggling.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Daly's a 13 or bench for me. Maybe a 15 if he gets plenty of club time there. Not a wing though.

11. May
15. Watson
14. Bolter - Earle, Solomona, Whoever. Ideally someone quite powerful to complement the two sprinters.

 

[MarkyH]

No Nowell? Powerful he is, would suit the others just dandy

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Daly's positioning as a wing leaves a lot to be desired, though. He's bombed tries and leaked tries due to being in the wrong place, which isn't acceptable at international level.
I've said it before but he gets by because of how good he is at rugby in general which makes up for/overshadows his weak wing play (at times). I think it definitely shows that he doesn't play there regularly, and wasps arent going to any time soon.
In February Jones said he sees Daly as a fullback in the longrun, but he's also said that about Watson before, who is playing there week in week out for his club so seems the more likely option.
I hate to say he should be on the bench because he's so good but I'm with @Old Hooker , it's 13 or bench for me, unless EJ tries him at 15.

 

[MarkyH]

JJ & Daly should be fighting over 13. The 23 shirt will be the others... I don't have a problem with that.

Another issue with Daly on wing is when he goes looking for work in tight spaces he doesn't have the power to get out. He should be competing for 13 with JJ, where they can use there lines and space, and skills in a much better way. That's why I'm happy to see Nowell on a wing. But again, I'd take Daly on wing if we HAVE to shoehorn him in

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

JJ, Te'o and Daly will be fighting for the 13 shirt IMO.

UNLESS MANU GETS FIT AND ON FORM, in which case he will be the outright starter.

 

[ratsapprentice]

JJ, Te'o and Daly will be fighting for the 13 shirt IMO.

UNLESS MANU GETS FIT AND ON FORM, in which case he will be the outright starter.

I'm guessing it's all quiet on the Western (Samoan) front?

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I'm guessing it's all quiet on the Western (Samoan) front?

From what i have heard he is the leanest he has been for some time.

Also MOC expects him to play a in the preseason and be fully fit for the bath game. (Along with Toomua and Mulipola)

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

From what i have heard he is the leanest he has been for some time.

Also MOC expects him to play a in the preseason and be fully fit for the bath game. (Along with Toomua and Mulipola)

I reckon they should give him this season off purely to recover his fitness and heal ready for the World Cup year. Obviously they won't because they'd be paying a huge amount for a player to sit on his arse but it would do him a world of good.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I reckon they should give him this season off purely to recover his fitness and heal ready for the World Cup year. Obviously they won't because they'd be paying a huge amount for a player to sit on his arse but it would do him a world of good.

Surely if he is fully fit he is fully fit.

What would a year off do exactly?

 

[stus768]

Surely if he is fully fit he is fully fit.

What would a year off do exactly?

Plus he's had the best part of two years off already!

 

[ratsapprentice]

Aye, he doesn't need more time off.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

From what i have heard he is the leanest he has been for some time.

His USP is power based blockbusting interventions which can change games at any level, not high work rate or speed. If that's been compromised he becomes just another player with an unremarkable skill set.

Sorry, just bought back horrible memories of the RWC conditioning fiasco. Would love to see him in full cry for Eng again.

 

[McTallshort]

Don't know what's wrong with Daly, Nowell and Watson as a back 3.

 

[ratsapprentice]

For some time doesn't suggest he's particularly small, especially considering how out of condition he has looked (IMO) on his last couple of returns to action.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

His USP is power based blockbusting interventions which can change games at any level, not high work rate or speed. If that's been compromised he becomes just another player with an unremarkable skill set.

Sorry, just bought back horrible memories of the RWC conditioning fiasco. Would love to see him in full cry for Eng again.

lean doesn't mean skinny.
Manu has nautral power it isn't his size that does the damage it's his power.
Against NZ in 2012 he was lean (For his standards).