No regrets for Elliot Daly over Saracens move
Saracens' Elliot Daly talks to team-mates during the Heineken Champions Cup pool four match at Allianz Park, London. PA Photo. Picture date: Saturday November 23, 2019. See PA story RUGBYU Saracens. Photo credit should read: Paul Harding/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: Editorial use only. No commercial use.
Despite the recent crisis over Saracens’ salary cap breach, England full-back Elliot Daly has no regrets over joining the Premiership club.
Daly celebrated his debut for his new club by starring in a 44-3 Champions Cup demolition of the Ospreys and opened the scoring with a long-range penalty in the first half.
The holders amassed six tries at Allianz Park to ignite their title defence a week after falling short at Racing 92, with Daly at the heart of an emphatic victory in his maiden appearance since the World Cup final on November 2.
The 27-year-old joined up with his new team-mates for the first time on Monday at a backs social night in St Albans and was limited to only two training sessions during the week.
Saracens have been docked 35 points in the Premiership and fined £5.36million for breaching salary-cap regulations, but Daly has had no second thoughts over his high-profile summer move from Wasps.
“No, definitely not. I needed a new challenge and coming to a club like this and having that opportunity is something you are never going to turn down,” he said.
“Everyone here is moving in the right direction and are going to push me in the right direction.
“For me it’s brilliant to come into a club now. We know what we need to do – we need to win every game.
“But that hasn’t changed from what I’ve heard the Sarries mindset is – we go into every game trying to win.
“We don’t change anything we do now. I’m just trying to add to this team in any way I can.
“I’ve just enjoyed this week and I’ll try and enjoy the next four or five weeks and see where it takes us. Going out in St Albans was a good experience.
“It was good to meet the boys and understand what makes them tick because when you get to tough days on the field that’s what comes out.
“Everyone at the club has welcomed me with open arms, which is exactly what you want as a new player.
“You want to play as many games for your new club and try to put your best foot forward.”
Action Shot 📸 First points in Sarries colours for @elliotdaly pic.twitter.com/18WhbYFAUE
— Saracens Rugby Club (@Saracens) November 23, 2019
Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall believes the Champions Cup can be retained, meanwhile, if they defy the crisis by reaching the quarter-finals.
McCall must prioritise the desperate fight for Premiership survival knowing his playing resources will be severely depleted by international call-ups during the Six Nations, but he insists a successful European title defence is possible.
“We are still ambitious to do well in the competition and we still want to win the games,” McCall said.
“We have just got some decisions to make along the way about when the internationals play and we will make some decisions along the way.
“If we get through to the quarter-finals we’ve got a chance – a good chance – because in my experience this team in pretty good in knockout rugby.”
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