I've only myself to blame for England exclusion: Ted Hill

Bath’s athletic hybrid forward Ted Hill admits he hasn’t done enough this season to warrant a place in the England squad preparing for the Nations Championship in July.

Hill, who is equally at home at lock or in the back row, has been stuck on five England caps for nearly a year, having last represented his country against the USA in July 2025.

“Personally I don’t think I have put my best foot forward this year in order to be in that position but, of course, that’s where I want to be and I want to keep working and keep pushing to be there,” said Hill.

Hill, 27, revealed that no recent conversations have been had with England head coach Steve Borthwick about what he needs to work on specifically to get back in the frame.

“Obviously I’ve had stuff in the past. I think at this point in my career, not that I am that old, I know what I need to work on and I know what I need to improve and I know the levels that are required to get into this (Bath) team, let alone the England team. Big standards are required.”

For the first time since his move to Bath from Worcester in the Autumn of 2022, a higher percentage of Hill’s appearances this season have been made from the bench rather than as a starter.

Despite possessing a potent combination of power and pace, Hill has not been making the sort of impact in games that that admirers of his physical attributes know he is capable of.

“To start off with, I think it’s been a little stop-start – a bit through injury, which is frustrating and never where you want to be as a player. But the important thing is I am being given opportunities and I am building into some better form, which is good,” he said, when asked to assess his season to date,” said the 1.96m tall loose forward, who weighs 112kgs.

“It is not been quite where I’d have wanted it in the earlier part of the season. But I’ll keep training, keep working hard and I think it’s looking like it’s turning a corner, hopefully, and my performances will keep on improving.

“I want to be involved but obviously that’s not always possible because we have got an amazing squad and everyone deserves to play. But being selfish, I want to play every week.”