/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/pic-2-1.jpg)
Elliot Daly starts as England ring the changes for Argentina clash
Steve Borthwick has backed the returning Elliot Daly to play a central role in England’s preparations for the 2027 World Cup “and beyond”, with the head coach ringing the changes ahead of facing Argentina on Sunday.
Daly will make his first appearance for either club or country since July 2 when he starts on the left wing for England at the Allianz Stadium this weekend. The Saracen broke his left arm against the Reds on last summer’s British and Irish Lions tour and has not played a minute since, but comes into England’s starting XV as one of six new faces to the side who defeated New Zealand last Saturday.
In an injury-hit back line – all of Ollie Lawrence, Tommy Freeman and Tom Roebuck are ruled out – Daly starts alongside Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and Freddie Steward in the back three, the latter having recovered from his failed head injury assessment against the All Blacks.
But Borthwick believes that Daly is in “the best shape [he’s] ever seen him in” and has no concerns about throwing the 33-year-old, who has 73 caps for England and another five for the Lions, back into the Test arena; not just for the Pumas on Sunday, but also for challenges ahead.
“Yes, [the next World Cup], and beyond,” Borthwick said. “Even now, you just look at this last period, he’s had an incredible reconditioning period. He looks fresh, he looks energised, he sounds energised. He can’t wait to go. So I’ve no doubt he can go the next couple of years until the World Cup.
“The quality of player, he is excellent. I think everybody watching him through the early part of the Lions series, everyone was thinking about him being in the Test team. I think he is in as good a shape as I have ever seen him. I think he hit very close to his fastest speed ever the other day in training.
“We had a conversation back in the summer and I spoke to him and I talked about how highly I rate him and how I want him as part of this England squad over this next period. Experience in Test rugby is vital. You can see that now with this team, when you’re in tough times, in a game when you’re 12-0 down on the scoreboard, it’s players who’ve been there, done it, experienced it; those players are worth their weight in gold, and Elliot’s one of those.
“He’s been to a number of World Cups, played a number of different Lions series, he’s lifted many trophies. I value that immensely. He’s one of the most senior players here in the team, so he’s another one of those players that I bounce ideas off of and chat to regularly about where the squad’s at, where the team is at, and what we need to do.”
With Lawrence and Freeman nursing hamstring injuries, Henry Slade returns to the outside centre role for the first time since England’s victorious tour of Argentina. Slade will feature outside Fraser Dingwall and George Ford, who both started in the wins over Australia and New Zealand respectively.
Alex Mitchell drops to the bench in favour of Ben Spencer, with the Bath captain given his first start of the autumn.
Up front, there is a new-look front row, with vice-captain Ellis Genge replacing Fin Baxter, Luke Cowan-Dickie starting over the injured Jamie George (also hamstring), and Asher Opoku-Fordjour, given the nod at tighthead over Will Stuart, making his first Test start at Twickenham.
Joe Heyes, one of the breakout stars of England’s autumn, is omitted from the 23 altogether, with the only other casualty of the same ilk coming in the form of Chandler Cunningham-South, who has been replaced by Charlie Ewels among the replacements.
Borthwick was at pains to highlight that he had been impressed by Heyes this November, but that building squad depth was a more pressing issue.
“I’ve said to Joe: ‘I’ve really been pleased with the way you have played’,” Borthwick said. “‘You know you’ve played very well, scrummaged well, moved well, defensively been really good.’ Part of this is ensuring that we have the appropriate level of depth, experience and competition amongst the squad.
“Will Stuart has done a really good job when he has come in for that 30 minutes at the end of games. I was pleased with what Asher did in the game against Fiji and he has been tremendous in training.”
Theo Dan will make his first appearance of the autumn off the bench against the Pumas. Tom Curry remains on the bench, meaning the Sale flanker will not have started a Test this autumn.
England’s back row remains the same as the one which defeated the All Blacks, while Marcus Smith retains the No 23 jersey after his impressive cameo last Saturday.
England host Argentina in both sides’ final match of the autumn, with the Pumas arriving at Twickenham after that phenomenal comeback victory in Scotland last Sunday.
[Source: Daily Telegraph]
