Five Things about Wasps centre Elliot Daly ahead of his England debut
Eddie Jones is blooding uncapped star Elliot Daly this weekend
©PA
Wasps' highly-rated centre Elliot Daly looks set to make his Test match debut on Saturday after being named in England's matchday 23 for the RBS 6 Nations clash against Ireland at Twickenham.
SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE
Daly attended Whitgift School in Croydon, whose former pupils include his fellow rugby stars Danny Cipriani and Marland Yarde, in addition to England cricketer Jason Roy and footballer Victor Moses. Daly and Yarde starred when Whitgift won the prestigious Daily Mail Under-18 Cup at Twickenham in 2010 and 2011.
ENGLAND HONOURS
Daly has played for England at under-16, 18 and 20 levels, in addition to representing England Saxons. He was a member of the England team defeated 33-22 by New Zealand in the 2011 Junior World Championship final in Padova, Italy, when Daly's team-mates that day included current senior England team members Owen Farrell, George Ford, Mako Vunipola and Joe Launchbury.
IT'S JUST NOT CRICKET
Daly was a talented cricketer as a teenager, representing England Under-15s and Surrey at various age-group levels. He was an all-rounder, with fast bowling his forte, and appeared good enough to possibly make the first-class county grade before he decided to go down the rugby union route.
TAMED BY THE LIONS
Daly has the rare distinction of being an English rugby player who has played and scored points against the British and Irish Lions. Daly was selected for a Barbarians XV that kicked off the 2013 Lions' Australia tour in Hong Kong alongside players like Sergio Parisse, Joe Rokocoko, Dimitri Yachvili and Martin Castrogiovanni, and he kicked a penalty, but the Lions ran out 59-8 winners in stamina-sapping heat and humidity.
WRONG SIDE OF THE LAW
Daly served a three-week ban in 2014 after being cited for "acts contrary to good sportsmanship." He admitted verbally abusing match referee Ian Tempest during an Aviva Premiership game between Wasps and Exeter, and faced a Rugby Football Union disciplinary hearing. Daly subsequently publicly apologised to the official.
