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Jonny Hill learns disciplinary hearing fate after fan altercation

Out of favour England lock Jonny Hill (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Out of favour England international Jonny Hill will resume his playing career with Sale in early December despite originally facing a 20-week suspension at his RFU disciplinary hearing. The 30-year-old became the subject of a police investigation following a June 1 altercation with a fan in the stands following Sharks’ Gallagher Premiership semi-final loss at Bath.

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It was 53 days ago, at a pre-season media day at Carrington, when Sale director of rugby Alex Sanderson first revealed that Hill would also face an RFU disciplinary hearing as soon as the police investigation had finished.

It had been alleged that the forward, who was unavailable for selection in June because of a long-term injury, put a spectator in a headlock, breaking his glasses and leaving a cut above his right eye.

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    That police investigation concluded without its outcome being publicly revealed. In the meantime, Hill was summoned to appear before an independent disciplinary panel on Monday night.

    It was determined that Hill’s suspension entry point should be 20 weeks. However, mitigation halved this initially proposed punishment and it was ultimately reduced to a lay-off of six weeks as four of the 10 weeks were suspended until the end of the 2025/26 season.

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    That leaves Hill, who has been fully fit since the start of the 2024/25 season, available to make his comeback in the December 7 Investec Champions Cup game away to Glasgow.

    An RFU statement read: “Jonny Hill (Sale Sharks) appeared before an independent disciplinary panel on Monday, November 4, for an alleged breach of RFU rule 5.12 – conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game and/or union in circumstances where he is alleged to have physically abused a spectator in the aftermath of Bath Rugby vs Sale Sharks at the Recreation Ground on June 1.

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    “The panel was chaired by Philip Evans KC sitting with Oliver Clark and Leon Lloyd. Jonny accepted the charge. He will be available to play for Sale on December 7. The full written judgement will be available in due course.”

    Evans explained: “The panel concluded the appropriate starting point was a 20-week suspension from playing. They also found the circumstances of this case to be exceptional and as a consequence, and because of the substantial mitigation available to Jonny Hill, that starting point was reduced to 10 weeks, four of which will be suspended until the conclusion of the 25/26 season.

    “In addition he is required to give a presentation to young players at the club which is to be recorded and provided to the RFU.”

    In a separate statement, Sale said: “Both the club and player accept the ruling made by the RFU disciplinary panel and we now look forward to getting Jonny back on the pitch in a Sharks shirt as soon as possible.”

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    Comments

    1 Comment
    O
    Otagoman II 148 days ago

    Johnny Hill has a fondness for heads. He is very lucky his suspension is so light.

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    JW 1 hour ago
    'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

    Well a) poor French results doesn’t seem to effect the situation much. In fact one of the reasons given for this selection policy is that the French don’t tune in for foreign rugby content on the other side of the world, at a time when theyre not having their vino. So who would know the results? And b) this is the crux of the matter, they are legally abided to play them as part of WRs tier 1 reciprocal tours programme. The only real choice for the SH team is to treat it the same, which is fine when teams are happy to do that, but the AB’s have a totally anthesis policy/mentality so would never use the games in the same way.


    So alligned with b) the only real option is to complain to those in control. I suspect that’s why weve seen France reneging on the practice, and you can only be left to think that if they hadn’t reneged, WR would have done something more drastic about it. Which of course would mean not just telling them to bugger off when they want to tour, it’s no one playing them (from t1 at least) at all (assuming they have no interest in scheduling match’s outside the windows, like Ireland and NZ are doing).


    Then of course that means no involvement of France in the Nations Championship. Which means they are automatically the last ranked team in 6N to qualify, so the actual worst team in 6N gets to compete in it, making a mockery of the promotion and relegation WR wanted to happen between T1 and T2 for qualifying purposes. Yup, b) is just something nobody wants to happen. Well done FFR and LNR for making the tour work instead (how well is yet to be seen).

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