Hill looking to stake his Lions Claim

By Mark Stevens
2/7/21

As a professional sportsman, you have to be able to take the highs, as well as taking the lows.

In the aftermath of last Saturday’s Gallagher Premiership defeat to Harlequins, the Exeter Chiefs changing room was a dark place. A season of work effectively ended in one afternoon as Rob Baxter’s side surrendered their grip on English Rugby’s top prize.

Having played their part in an absorbing showpiece, the Chiefs had to jump back on board their team bus and head for home, using the three-hour trip to digest their narrow 40-38 loss.

For lock Jonny Hill, the disappointment was clear to see, particularly given the form he had shown in the final few weeks of the season where he was a lynchpin in the much-raved about Chiefs pack of forwards.

For the 27-year-old, though, his upset had to be consumed relatively quickly, given that he and club-mates Luke Cowan-Dickie, Stuart Hogg and Sam Simmonds were heading for South Africa, via Scotland, with the British & Irish Lions within 12 hours of that final whistle blowing at Twickenham.

“It’s been a rollercoaster last couple of weeks,” said Hill. “It was bitterly disappointing to come up short in the Premiership final. I had to shake myself down that evening, wake up on Sunday morning and forget about it.

“Then we flew out, landed here and I was told I was starting in the first game against the Lions [on Saturday], so I was back on top of the world again. Now, I have to make the most of my opportunity this weekend.”

In what will be history-making moment for the Chiefs, Hill and Hogg will both start tomorrow’s game in Johannesburg, whilst Cowan-Dickie and Simmonds have been named on the bench

While the Lions are operating in a restrictive Covid-19 bubble, Hill is enjoying any glimpses of the host nation and the contrasts with what he is used to at home. “It’s quite strict social distancing, but it’s nice to even drive around and see the scenery,” he added.

“You appreciate how different the world is. I’m a country boy from Shropshire surrounded by green fields and there’s not a blade of grass here. It’s all burned off! It’s crazy and different.”

Hill’s rise to fame, however, came almost a year to the day that the strapping forward celebrated another sporting milestone, right here in Devon.

“This time last year, I got a hole in one at golf, it was my first one,” added Hill, who believes that stroke launched a remarkable upturn in sporting fortunes for him, which included double glory with the Chiefs, Autumn Nations Cup glory with England and, more recently, his call-up to the Lions tour squad.