Hill hoping Chiefs can do repeat after injury nightmare

EXETER midfield hitman Sam Hill has his heart set on a trophy clean sweep after the agony of missing last season’s Premiership final win through injury.

Hill, 24, featured throughout Chiefs’ march to the play-offs but damaged ligaments in his foot in the final regular season league game at Gloucester, meaning a six-month lay-off and denying him a place in the Twickenham showpiece against Wasps.

However, after proving his fitness with a man-ofthe-match display in Exeter’s win at Saracens last weekend, Hill is now targeting back-to-back victories over Leinster as Chiefs aim for a Champions Cup, Premiership and Anglo-Welsh Cup treble.

Hill said: “It’s great to be back and I was happy with my performance against Saracens. I like playing against guys like Brad Barritt because you want to test yourself against top competition and I came through it pretty well.

“My injury was very frustrating and it was tough missing the semifinal and then the final against Wasps. I missed out on the final the year before as well due to a hamstring injury.

“Hopefully there’s much more to come. We’re doing well in three competitions and with quality players like Luke Cowan-Dickie, Alec Hepburn and Dave Ewers returning to full fitness, we’re 100 per cent confident we can retain our title and target the two other competitions.

“We’ve got Leinster next week and if we can beat them at home and then take some points away, we’ll be very well placed.”

Despite twice touring with the Saxons and being called into senior England squads in 2014 and 2016, Hill, an U20s Junior World Cup winner in 2013, has yet to be fully capped.

Recent call-ups for teammates Harry Williams, Henry Slade and Sam Simmons provide hope, though, with Hill adding: “Their selection shows how the club is moving forward.

“Towards the end of last season my form was pretty good so it’s a case of starting again now, focussing on my club form and taking it from there.”