Sale explain why Jonny Hill is ready for first start since January

Sale boss Alex Sanderson has explained why he has no qualms giving Jonny Hill his first start for the club this Friday in nearly a year. The 30-year-old, who is out of contract at the Gallagher Premiership outfit at the end of this season, suffered a serious knee injury last January versus La Rochelle in an Investec Champions Cup pool match in Manchester.

However, while fit for the start of the 2024/25 season in mid-September, his return was delayed until last weekend in Glasgow due to the disciplinary matter sparked by his altercation with a Bath fan following last June’s Gallagher Premiership semi-final loss.

That incident at The Rec resulted in a police investigation and while it concluded with no action taken against Hill as the spectator failed to engage with the authorities, the second row was sanctioned in-house by Sale and also had to attend an RFU disciplinary hearing on November 4.

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Initially a 20-week suspension was proposed, but this was reduced to 10 and with four weeks also suspended until the end of the 2025/26 season provided Hill “gives a meaningful presentation to young players at Sale RFC setting out what he has learnt from this process”, he was deemed free to play again from December 7.

This led to his return off the bench last Saturday night at Scotstoun and he has now been pencilled in to start in the Sale second row in Friday night’s round two Champions Cup match at home to Racing 92.

Asked had it been easy to reintroduce Hill to the team following his lengthy lay-off, Sanderson explained that the forward had been busy in recent times with the squad. “He was very involved,” said the director of rugby. “I asked him to be, I asked him not to be a ghost. I wanted him to be involved in meetings, so he has been a constant voice, an influence on the lads.

“So this transition of him coming back in probably hasn’t been as difficult because he has been there in the present. He was worried about his lungs last weekend because I looked around at him and I could see it in his eyes, he was a little bit worried.

“It was a 4G (pitch) as well but he said he felt good. He said he felt the half and hour that he was on that he felt like he could more. You’ll see more of him this weekend.”

Hill’s restoration to the starting XV is one of eight Sale changes following their 19-38 round one defeat in Scotland. Current England players Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ben Curry, George Ford and Tom Roebuck are all included but Tom Curry is rested.

Former Sale centre Sam James has been named to start in the Racing midfield. Henry Arundell, Dan Lancaster, Junior Kpoku and Will Rowlands will also be involved.

SALE: 15. Joe Carpenter; 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Rob du Preez, 12. Luke James, 11. Tom O’Flaherty; 10. George Ford, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Bevan Rodd, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. James Harper, 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Jonny Hill, 6. JL du Preez, 7. Ben Curry (capt), 8. Dan du Preez. Reps: 16. Tadgh McElroy, 17. Si McIntyre, 18. WillGriff John, 19. Josh Beaumont, 20. Sam Dugdale, 21. Raffi Quirke, 22. Waisea Nayacalevu, 23. Alex Wills.

RACING 92: 15. Tristan Tedder; 14. Henry Arundell, 13. Sam James, 12. Henry Chavancy, 11. Max Spring; 10. Dan Lancaster, 9. Nolann le Garrec; 1. Guram Gogichashvili, 2. Camille Chat, 3. Lucio Sordoni, 4. Junior Kpoku, 5. Will Rowlands, 6. Cameron Woki (capt), 7. Maxime Baudonne, 8. Hacjivah Dayimani. Reps: 16. Diego Escobar, 17. Lino Julien, 18. Gia Kharaishvili, 19. Fabien Sanconnie, 20. Ibrahim Diallo, 21. Clovis le Bail, 22. Antoine Gibert, 23. Wame Naituvi.