No more horsing around for Hill after his lucky break with Exeter
RACEHORSE-LOVING Exeter lock Jonny Hill reckons he owes head coach Rob Baxter a huge debt of gratitude for rescuing his career from the gutter.
Hill, who had designs on being a jockey before a teenage growth spurt, looked destined to miss out on a second career after suffering a talar dome ankle fracture when an academy player at Gloucester.
That sidelined him for 18 months, but Baxter took a chance on Hill in 2015 and the 22-year-old has repaid the faith recently by keeping former Lions lock Geoff Parling out of the side. Hill told The Rugby
Paper: “Rob emphasised that it was a risk signing me and I can’t thank him enough. He saw a bit of footage of me and gambled, so he pulled me from the bottom of the scrap pile and I was lucky to keep playing.
“I’d played for England U20s in the 2014 Six Nations but picked up my ankle injury a week later and didn’t play for another 18 months. As a young player I thought I’d had my time and my career was going to fall away.
“My transfer from Gloucester to Chiefs changed everything. Now every time I get an opportunity I want to make the most of it.”
On learning at the hand of master practitioner Parling, Hill adds: “Geoff’s been hugely influential and I pick his brains most weeks about different stuff.
“Initially I was a little bit star-struck but I have an excellent relationship with him now and I’m trying to milk him for everything he’s got. I’ve got in ahead of him a few times but he’s still hungry to start and the competition here is really tough.”
Hill’s passion for racing stems from his early years in Ludlow before taking up rugby with Luctonians and progressing to Gloucester via Hartpury College.
He explained: “I grew up around horses and used to bunk off school to go to Ludlow races, where I’d jump over the fence and get in for free.
“I really wanted to be a jockey but it was never going to be on the cards because even at U9s rugby I was always the tallest lad out there. I enjoyed riding but literally grew out of it and the jockeys I know these days are 10st dripping wet.
“I’ve always maintained a keen interest, though, and I’m good friends with a couple of up and coming jockeys in Nick Scholfield and Jack Sherwood. I know Tom Scudamore pretty well too from my time up at Gloucester.”
While Chiefs are involved in the Premiership mix, their Champions Cup hopes look virtually over after defeats to Clermont and Ulster.
However, ahead of home and away games against Bordeaux, Hill points out: “We went through with 16 points last year so stranger things have happened. Back-to-back wins against Bordeaux, with a couple of bonus points, and we’re on.”