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'It was the right package for him at the time'

(Photo by Craig Mercer/MB Media/Getty Images)

Exeter have admitted they have no cause for complaint that Jonny Hill hasn’t made it back in time from injury to feature in this year’s Six Nations with England. A starter in all three Autumn Nations Series games, the second row turned up at pre-championship training in Brighton with a high ankle stress issue. 

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England must have been optimistic that the problem would come right in time for Hill to become available for selection as they decided to keep him rehabbing in camp throughout last month’s three match weeks and the two fallow training weeks.  

Assistant coach Richard Cockerill even spoke optimistically last week about Hill, announcing that he came through two full days of training in Bristol. However, Eddie Jones finally cut his losses last Sunday night, omitting the forward from the 36-man squad he asked to assemble for next Saturday’s round four match versus Ireland. 

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An RFU statement at the time read: “Jonny Hill, who has been undertaking rehab on a low limb stress injury since he arrived into camp, has returned to his club Exeter Chiefs for the remainder of the tournament.”

Club boss Baxter had no issues with England, though, that the rehab on their watch hadn’t come right – but he added that it could be some time yet before Hill makes it back on the pitch to play his first rugby since getting hurt in a January 8 Gallagher Premiership match at Harlequins. 

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“It is a difficult thing,” said Baxter when asked by RugbyPass for his thought on why Hill rehabbed with England for that long rather than look to get his ankle right at home in Exeter. “If you think there is a possibility of someone becoming involved later in the tournament you do also want them about picking up on calls and any tactical changes that are happening in the meetings etc. 

“It is probably as much that as anything else because he was involved in the team in the autumn internationals, they are probably looking for a degree of consistency around the set-piece and how they are running things and probably thought there was a chance of him returning by the end of the tournament. 

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“That has gone by the wayside now but it’s always a difficult balance, it’s always a difficult one between does a guy stay at his club and rehab and they potentially miss out on that meetings or alignment with the team. I just think it was one of those things. England were very open with us. 

“They asked us could he stay in or whether we wanted him to return for his rehab. I spoke with Jonny, he was happy to continue his rehab with England and stay in touch with the things that were happening. I just think it was the right package for him at the time.”

With his hopes dashed of being fit to face Ireland and France in the remaining games, Hill is now back at Exeter looking to put his England frustrations behind him. “We just had a quick catch up to see how the legs are feeling and where he thinks he is heading,” continued Baxter.

“Jonny is pretty positive about it, he is hoping kind of three, four weeks (before he is ready to play) but it will be based on where he feels week by week. It’s not something you can really put a time stamp on and go, ‘this is a two-week, three-week injury’. There is a bit of feel about it, how he feels with landing, loading and running. That will determine a lot on where he is able to go and how much he is able to do.”

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Meanwhile, England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie had his operation on Monday to mend the knee injury sustained in the round three win over Wales. “It has gone as well as can be expected,” reported Baxter. “He has got some significant damage there. It is going to be touch and go whether he features again this season.”

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O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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