Fatigue won't be an issue, insists Hill

By Duncan Bech
09/07/22

Jonny Hill insists the prize on offer against Australia on Saturday rules out fatigue as a threat to England’s attempt to complete a series victory at Sydney Cricket Ground.

An engrossing 25-17 triumph in the second Test has set up a decider in the final outing of a 12-month stretch that for many of Eddie Jones’ squad included the Lions tour to South Africa.

Hill was part of Warren Gatland’s quest to topple the Springboks but he insists the prospect of emulating the 3-0 whitewash delivered Down Under in 2016 will induce one last lung-busting effort.

“When you have an opportunity to play in the final game of a series, I don’t think any fatigue will come into it,” said the Exeter lock, who missed the Six Nations because of a foot injury.

“The lads look forward to these tours all season. We’re here now and are in for a shout for the series, so the boys will be flying into it. We’ve got five weeks off after. It’s not something that happens very often, winning in Australia. If we went on to win it would be really special to me personally.”

England celebrated their success in the second Test with a few drinks in Brisbane in what was a cathartic experience after throwing away the series opener in dismal fashion.

And the series has been levelled while issuing five new caps in wings Henry Arundell and Tommy Freeman, centres Guy Porter and Will Joseph and scrum-half Jack Van Poortvliet.

“We just went to a hotel down the road, which was quite fun. It was a win that was a long time coming for us. It felt like we didn’t really fire a shot in the first Test,” Hill said. “We’d had quite a few debutants over the last few weeks and those first Tests everyone remembers, so it’s really important to celebrate those.”

England will enter the second Test with a renewed conviction over their ability to gain an edge on the Wallabies up front after completely dominating their opponents for 35 minutes until the forward battle evened out.