Hill relishing Gloucester battle
By Mark Stevens
12/2/19
Jonny Hill insists he and his Exeter Chiefs team-mates are relishing Friday’s return to Gallagher Premiership action against rivals Gloucester.
It’s been over a month since Devon’s finest have featured in top-flight action, but it’s a welcome return to action for the Chiefs, who will be facing familiar foes in the shape of the Cherry & Whites.
The two clubs have already faced off three times this season, the Chiefs lead 2-1 on the head-to-head, and this latest match-up promises to be just as exciting as the quest to secure vital league points intensifies.
Hoping to play his part in the action this evening will be Ludlow-born lock Hill, who having missed three months of the current campaign with a tendon injury to one of his fingers, is clearly looking to make up for lost time.
“It’s been a month or so since we played Munster in the Champions Cup,” said Hill. “That game took a lot out of us, but we’ve been able to rest up since then and I think all of us can’t wait to get out there and play some rugby again.
“We’ve got a big four-game block coming up in the league and for us the sole focus is on Gloucester. We know it’s going to be a tough game up at Kingsholm, we obviously know each other well having played each other a few times already this season, but I’m confident we have what it takes to get the result on the night.”
With honours even in the Champions Cup, both sides winning away from home, it’s the Chiefs who hold the slender edge in the seasonal head-to-head, having won the corresponding Premiership fixture at Sandy Park 23-6 back in November.
Now, Hill and the Chiefs will be hoping for more of the same as they look to preserve their position at league leaders.
“Having dropped out of Europe and the Premiership Cup, there is only the Premiership left for us to really focus on now,” added the 24-year-old. “There are 40 to 50 guys in the squad who know what we have to do. It’s a bit of a sprint finish to the end of the season now, so we’ve just got to pick up the momentum week by week.
“As players we know there is not a mass of games as such, but the weeks are going to get broken up, so there is a good opportunity for us to blast into these matches, really hit the ground running, but then take a rest afterwards.”
Ten victories from 12 starts so far represents a decent return to date for the Chiefs, who have made no secret of the fact they are determined to plot a course back to Twickenham in June and secure a fourth successive appearance in the Premiership Final.
Hill was a starter in last season’s showpiece event against Saracens – and having tasted defeated to the Londoners, he’s desperate to ensure there is no repeat showing this time around.
“The final last year was tough to take for all of us,” continued Hill. “Losing any final hurts, but none of us want to rest on our laurels and we all want to get better. I think we’ve shown in our performances so far this season what we’re capable of, but there is still a lot more to come from us and hopefully we will see that between now and the end of the season.”
First things first, it’s overcoming Gloucester that will be the sole focus for Hill.
“Friday night games at Kingsholm are always pretty special,” added Hill. “As I said, it’s going to be tough. The set-piece battle is going to be attritional, the same as it was against Munster, and they’ve got threats across the pitch that can cause you problems, if you let them play.
“Equally, we’re a very good side, they will have done their homework on us, but we’ve shown already this season that we are capable of beating them, so hopefully we can do the same in this game.”