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Jonny Hill’s first hole in one on the golf course launched a rollercoaster year that has produced another dramatic swing with his inclusion in the British and Irish Lions team to face Sigma Lions on Saturday.
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Hill credits the moment of fortune at Exeter Golf and Country Club 12 months ago for igniting a eventful phase of his life that has produced his England debut and domestic, European and international titles, but also moments of disappointment.
Losing to Harlequins in Saturday’s Gallagher Premiership final was another twist to the story, but 24 hours later he was flying to Johannesburg with the Lions and at Emirates Airline Park the Chiefs second row has a chance to write a new chapter.
“This time last year – tomorrow (Friday) actually – I got a hole in one in golf. My first ever one,” Hill said.
“It was par five, 600 yards! No, it was a par three, 120 yards with a pitching wedge. I didn’t thin it either, a nice bit of a fade on it and it rolled in. That was a good achievement and that’s where it all started really.
“We all trained like madmen in lockdown, the Exeter lads. There was nothing to do, so we just trained in our own homes.
“We got loads of gear sent to us and we came back to playing in the Premiership in August. I remember (Exeter director of rugby) Rob Baxter saying to us, ‘You boys look ready to go’ and we were like, ‘We were ready months ago Rob’.
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“We went on to win the two trophies and then I went off the next weekend to be part of the Six Nations squad that won that title. Four weeks later we won the Autumn Nations Cup. We did it the hard way, but it was another win.
“We came back and then battled away in the club season, which was up and down. It was not all plain sailing. We lost a couple of important games over Christmas.
“And then we went into the Six Nations and that definitely wasn’t plain sailing. I went in there with big plans and I remember driving home from that and I was disappointed about how it had gone for me.
“So it was kind of about me coming back to my club and going back to my basics and playing the way I want to play. It was important for me to do that.
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“It felt like we had some good momentum coming into the Premiership final but we came up short.
“After the match it was really, really strange mentally because I had the Lions to look forward to, so I had to shake myself down that evening, wake up on Sunday morning and forget about it.
“Then we flew out, landed here and I was told I was starting in the first game against the Lions, so I was back on top of the world again.”
Many of the ups and downs have been shared by Hill’s Exeter team-mate Stuart Hogg, the Scotland full-back who was dropped at a critical phase of the Chiefs’ season but who now captains the Lions in their opening fixture on South African soil.
“Stuart was absolutely gutted not to be involved in the final. He’s not the sort of guy who would keep his powder dry for a Lions tour,” Hill said.
“He’s one of the most professional players I’ve come across and him being selected as captain this weekend is a reflection of that.
“I know that it means a lot to him. He’s a guy who has been on two previous tours and he unfortunately hasn’t got a Test cap yet.”
Comments on RugbyPass
It couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
25 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
25 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
82 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
44 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
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