Elliot Daly will make his eagerly anticipated return to the England rugby squad this Sunday, lining up on the wing against Argentina at Twickenham in the Quilter Nations Series. The 33-year-old last appeared for England in their Six Nations finale victory over Wales and comes back after recovering from a significant forearm fracture sustained during the British & Irish Lions tour in June.

Daly replaces Tom Roebuck, who is sidelined with a foot injury following England’s 33-19 win over New Zealand last weekend. Head coach Steve Borthwick revealed that Daly has been “chomping at the bit” to return, adding that the player has regained full fitness and clocked running speeds close to his career-best in recent testing.

“He has been desperate to get going. He was given the OK last week, but I felt that his return to contact needed a little longer. He looks in fantastic condition,” Borthwick told Rugby Union Weekly.

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Six Changes to England’s Starting XV

In addition to Daly’s inclusion, England have made five other changes, partly forced by injury and partly to experiment with squad combinations:

• Henry Slade starts at outside centre, with Ollie Lawrence ruled out due to a hamstring problem.
• The front row features an all-new trio: Ellis Genge, Luke Cowan-Dickie, and Asher Opoku-Fordjour, who makes only his second Test start.
• Ben Spencer starts at scrum-half, with Theo Dan named on the bench in place of Saracens team-mate Jamie George, also sidelined with a hamstring issue.
• Marcus Smith is again named on the bench, while full-back Freddie Steward returns after avoiding concussion from last weekend’s clash. George Ford continues at fly-half, having scored 13 points in the win over New Zealand.

England XV vs Argentina

Starting XV: Steward; Feyi-Waboso, Slade, Dingwall, Daly; Ford, Spencer; Genge, Cowan-Dickie, Opoku-Fordjour, Itoje, Coles, Pepper, Underhill, Earl
Replacements: Dan, Baxter, Stuart, Ewels, T Curry, Pollock, Mitchell, M Smith

England are chasing their 11th consecutive victory to cap off a highly encouraging 2025 campaign in style.

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Argentina Aim for Northern Hemisphere Hat-Trick

The Pumas arrive at Twickenham in confident form, seeking to complete a hat-trick of wins on their northern hemisphere tour. They crushed Wales 52-28 before edging past Scotland 33-24 last weekend. Historically, Argentina have struggled at Twickenham, winning just five of their 29 previous Test meetings. Their last victory here came in 2022, when they narrowly defeated England by a single point.

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Daly’s Journey Back From Injury

Daly’s path to this comeback has been a long one. Initially selected for the Lions’ tour of Australia, he was forced to withdraw after a collision with Queensland Reds’ Jock Campbell resulted in a fracture along the length of his right forearm. The injury required 16 screws and a metal plate to repair, sidelining Daly for several months.

Despite not having played yet for Saracens this season, Daly has trained fully with the England squad and brings versatility, being able to cover wing, centre, and full-back positions. His long-range goal-kicking also provides England with an added tactical option.

“Watching the team grow, I just want to try and add to it as much as possible. I am raring to go and can’t wait,” Daly said ahead of Sunday’s clash.

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Analysis: Building Depth and Flexibility

BBC Rugby Union correspondent Chris Jones highlighted the importance of England’s current squad depth:

“Steve Borthwick is managing to win matches while building depth—exactly the position any head coach wants to be in, halfway through a Rugby World Cup cycle. Daly’s return adds another ball-playing option in the back three, while Henry Slade has a chance to prove his value in midfield. George Ford has solidified his position at fly-half, with Ben Spencer at scrum-half and Alex Mitchell dropping to the bench alongside five British & Irish Lions.”

England’s mix of experience, versatility, and tactical options gives them a strong platform as they aim to extend their winning streak and maintain momentum heading into the next year’s international fixtures.