England's miracle man Elliot Daly feeling 100% fit despite knee ligament tear

The Wasps back is feeling as right as rain despite suffering the injury two weeks ago

Elliot Daly was initially ruled out for four weeks with the knee injury (Getty)

There’s something about Elliot Daly and Argentina that triggers a bit of drama.

This time last year, the Wasps back was sent-off for tackling No 8 Leonardo Sentore at Twickenham in just his eighth international cap, an error of judgement that left England fighting with 14 men for 75 minutes. 12 months down the line, Daly was in danger of missing the chance to make up for his red card after suffering a knee injury just two weeks ago.

The news wasn’t good. Wasps ruled the utility back out for four weeks, and Eddie Jones decided against taking him to Portugal for last week’s training camp. Yet suddenly, Daly was back in the England camp after a miraculous recovery, and he will start Saturday’s opening autumn international looking to pick up where he left off in the summer with the British and Irish Lions.

“I think (it was) a magic healer,” joked Daly on Thursday. “I had a couple of days off and then came into the club and then realised that my knee probably wasn’t as bad as we first thought and started doing some stuff on it and it felt really good and it ticked all the boxes.

“I got into camp this week and it has gone really well.”

Daly was injured in Wasps’ Premiership victory over Northampton Saints after clashing knees with Ahsee Tuala 12 days ago, suffering a minor tear in his medial collateral ligament in his knee. Yet while the suggested recovery is to rest, Daly ensured he stayed mobile and, having begun to push himself much earlier than usual, realised that he was a lot further on in his recovery last week.

“It wasn’t a misdiagnosis. It is just sometimes with the MCL ligament if your knee is stable you are able to do more. It is a kind of ‘do it, if it hurts, stop it’ type of injury,” he added. “The Wasps physios are really good with me, they didn’t rush me through. I just got through every stage and completed that and then Eddie invited me in which was great and I had a good week here.”

“I think technically there is probably a bit of a tear in the MCL but I think it is very, very minor but it feels really good, back to normal and ready to go.”

The news was not that surprising to his head coach Jones, who has learned over his career to expect the unexpected when it comes to injuries and recovery times, and the Australian admitted that the 25-year-old has been “flying” since coming back into training at the start of the week.

Daly suffered the knock against Northampton Saints (Getty)

“It never surprises me. People make statements about injury but those things can change,” Jones said. “I’ve seen guys supposedly ready in ten days and they’ve not been ready for ten weeks. We’re just glad he’s back. He’s ready to play. He’s keen, enthusiastic and it is a great opportunity for him.

“The first diagnosis was that he would be out for four weeks. I take it on face value and then you work out what actually happens. I’m not a medical guy. I just listen to the advice. I’m never surprised.”

When Daly’s teammate, Joe Marler, returned from a fractured leg after just three weeks during the Six Nations this year, he put his rapid recovery down to drinking a pint of milk a day. Many players have come up with different theories such as being at altitude and eating certain foods, while this week Manu Tuilagi revealed he visited a Samoan witch doctor in an effort to cure him of his latest injury.

Daly, however, is unable to put his finger on any one thing, with his only change to life being a calorie deficit brought on by his girlfriend’s new diet. He insists there is no risk by playing so soon.

“100 per cent. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t 100 per cent,” he adds. “I trained fully all week and feel really good. It was a bit disappointing to miss Portugal last week and I had to be a bit of learning at the start of the week and catch up with the boys and make sure I knew my roles but 100 per cent good to go.”