Steve Borthwick has backed Elliot Daly to remain a key figure for England beyond the 2027 Rugby World Cup after recalling the versatile back to his starting side to face Argentina.
The 33-year-old Daly returns on the wing to make his first appearance since breaking his arm on the British and Irish Lions tour in July, taking the place of the injured Tom Roebuck.
The experienced Saracens back had been in resurgent form on that trip to Australia having forced his way back into the England team during the Six Nations as he nears a decade in international rugby.
The left-footer adds considerable playmaking abilities to a backline full of creative threat with fellow veterans George Ford and Henry Slade also included.
But Borthwick dismissed any suggestions of short-term thinking and backed Daly to make a third World Cup in Australia in two years’ time.
“He is excellent,” Borthwick said of Daly. “I think everybody watching him through the early part of the Lions series was thinking about him being in the Test team. He’s got such experience playing for England, such experience playing for the Lions.
“The voice he brings on the pitch is very, very good. Because of the nature of his injury, he’s been able to do lots of running work. I think he is in as good a shape as I have ever seen him.
“I know that somebody who reads the game as well as him, he can go even beyond [the World Cup]. I think that’s a key aspect as well. Players who read the game like that, smart rugby players, I always think those players can play even later in their careers, because they have such intelligence about the game. I think Elliot’s in that category.”
Daly was cleared to return to contact training last week but was held back to ensure he was fully ready to return. Injuries to Roebuck and Ollie Lawrence, along with the ongoing absence of Tommy Freeman, have forced a backline reshuffle as England look to finish off an unbeaten Quilter Nations Series and cap a year in which they have been beaten only once.
Slade partners Fraser Dingwall in midfield and will make his fifth appearance of 2025. The long-time Exeter Chief lost his place during the Six Nations and is out of contract with his club at the end of the season, though is on an enhanced EPS deal with his country.
Borthwick says his door is always open if players wish to discuss their place in his thinking before making decisions over their club future, and underlined how highly he rates Slade.
The England head coach said: “Every player has those personal decisions to make and some players wish to talk with me about their futures with the England team, and some players prefer to have that thought primarily to themselves. If players want to have that conversation then I would certainly have that with them, but it is very personal to them.
“I think he’s been playing really well for Exeter. He’d come into this series in good form, and he’s been unfortunate, there’s been tight selection calls in that area. So he and I have had some conversations where I’ve not been giving him the news he wanted.
“The attitude he has trained with and what he has given everyone in this squad has been top class. Being able to call someone like that up is brilliant.”
