Forget his critics - Cory Hill should be a hero for anyone who's ever held a tackle bag
When Luis Figo crossed the divide from Barcelona to Real Madrid, the reception on his return to the Bernabeu in El Clasico was toxic. Thousands of white handkerchiefs were raised as if Figo would have to feint and step his way away from mortal danger like a matador and the screams of ‘die Figo’ were so vitriolic, the player had to put his fingers in his ears as missiles rained down on him. In the second-half, when he was about to take a corner, coins, bottles, mobile phones, half-bricks, bicycle chains were clearly visible. In the aftermath, notoriously, a pig’s head was found.
Now no one is suggesting such a poisonous reception is awaiting Cory Hill when he next trots out to face what will be his former region at Rodney Parade, but there is no doubt his departure to local rivals, the Cardiff Blues, stung the Dragons, who under Dean Ryan had been building a quiet renaissance. A curt statement, requesting “the relevant bodies look into the circumstances around the move” suggested the region, which is WRU owned, fought tooth and nail to keep the Welsh lock.
In time, their ardour will cool, but for now, like a lover spurned, his imminent departure hurts.
The point I’m making here is your true value to a club is often exemplified by your exit. If you are thrown garlands and bouquets on emptying your locker for the final time, it’s likely you haven’t made a telling impression but the disappointment voiced by fans and the club’s hierarchy of their former captain suggest they know the Cardiff Blues have secured a player who will significantly strengthen them and weaken the Men of Gwent.
What is unequivocal is that Hill’s standing in the game has risen like shares in video conferencing software in recent weeks. It’s a far cry from June 2017, when I witnessed Hill in his civvies moseying through customs with his close friends from Pontypridd in Queenstown airport. This after a 10-day cameo, in which the full might of the Lions circus focused their eyes on Hill as part of the ‘Geography Six’. Brian O’Driscoll, one of the untouchable Lions grandees spluttered, ‘Cory who?’ as the media savaged the ‘convenience callups’. When Hill took a pew on the pine for the game against the Hurricanes, along with Finn Russell, Allan Dell, Gareth Davies, Tomas Francis and Kristian Dacey, they looked more like condemned men that the anointed few.
From those oxygen-sapping steps at the summit of world rugby, Hill has made 25 appearances for Wales, with a none-too-shabby 76 per cent win rate. He was a co-captain with Ellis Jenkins for Wales’ tour of Argentina in 2018 and his try against England in the 2019 Grand Slam campaign marked a high point, that ironically saw him miss the rest of the season in the act of scoring the try. He had moved swiftly from incurring the chagrin of rugby fans to bathing in their adulation.
Another telling sign of Hill’s journey from Lions tackle-bag holder to one of Wales’ most important players came with the squad announcement for the World Cup to Japan. Still carrying a leg injury, Warren Gatland – not a coach renowned for doe-eyed sentiment – promptly jettisoned a prop from his squad purely to allow Hill every chance to prove his fitness.
Alas, for Hill, despite numerous hopeful press releases, any hopes of playing in his first World Cup remained unfulfilled, and so France, 2023, is the realistic aim, but the player is not counting his chickens.
When interviewing him with the Welsh squad earlier this season, he said the inner-sanctum was never a place where complacency reigned. “It’s a nice place to be when you’re winning, but comfortable? No, I’m never comfortable.”
Recalling his starring role in the ‘Geography Six’, Hill was circumspect. “It was a big learning curve. I was less experienced than Finn Russell, Gareth (Davies) and Tom Francis because I’d only played a few Tests whereas they were probably knocking on the door to play anyway after a decent Six Nations. I was the unknown.”
The obvious question, something this writer had also asked Gareth Davies, is whether death by a thousand Tweets, had served as a motivation in subsequent years. “I learnt a lot about myself in those 10 days when everyone was slagging me off, not saying great things about me, but I have a good family behind me and friends who keep my feet on the ground.”
As for whether it toughened him up, Hill let out a toothy grin. “It didn’t toughen me up, I just tried to brush it off. It’s part and parcel of being a professional rugby player. In any other job, you get a bit of heat, but in our profession, you get the social media to go with it. With the Lions, there is massive hype and everyone becomes a rugby pundit. You have to take it on the chin and look to improve. On the upside, we learnt from great coaches and spent time with world-class players.”
Clues to Hill’s inner resolve can be found in his background. He is not a player who has always been earmarked as ‘someone destined to make it to the top’. He has had to bounce back from disappointment. A shining light as an age-grade player, who captained Wales at the U20 Junior World Cup, he had his dreams shattered a year later when he was released by his home region. At just 21, after some navel-gazing, he received a call to play at the Championship’s Moseley. He had a decision to make.
After the metaphorical tossing of a coin, he felt he had nothing to lose. It was a coming of age period for the now 28-year-old. “I was out of my comfort zone. They had the old Irish centre Kevin Maggs coaching us but we had a few Welshies up there like Ben Evans, the former Welsh tighthead prop, Mike Powell, second-row for the Ospreys and hooker Rhys Oakley, so I was fine.”
Able to develop away from the goldfish bowl that is Welsh rugby, Hill thrived in his five-month stay. “It was a semi-professional set-up. We trained Tuesday and Thursday nights and Wednesday mornings, so the Welsh boys would travel up and bunk over with Olly Robinson (now at the Cardiff Blues), and Buster Lawrence, kipping on couches. We had a good crack and I was picked up by the Dragons in the November of 2013. It was the right thing to do at the time. A step back to step forward, if you like.”
His return to the region that discarded him seven years ago clearly left scars. While Leigh Halfpenny and Liam Williams, both Swansea boys, may never run out in Ospreys colours after being discarded and overlooked, Hill is clearly the forgiving type. There are new coaches and players at the club but there are plenty of clues that show the secondrow’s formative years there left a lasting impression.
Indeed, while Hill claims not to be booksmart on the art of leadership, not one to gorge on management tomes in his spare time, he has clearly done a fine job of soaking up learnings from gnarled veterans along the way. “I’ve been around some fantastic captains, you know major characters. Paul Tito was one of the best ones. He was a Cardiff Blues cult hero and great with us Academy Boys. Then you look at guys like Gethin Jenkins and Martyn Williams. The Blues had a really decent squad when I was coming through.”
Hill continued his PhD in leadership at the Dragons, where he listened and learnt. “Andrew Coombs was a great leader on and off the pitch and there was Rob Sidoli. I used to go and watch Rob from the stands in Sardis Road as a kid and learnt a lot from him as a lineout caller.”
That Hill has had such a natural affinity with leadership is unsurprising. A former captain of Pontypridd schools and Cardiff U18s, he has always been drawn to the captain’s armband. “I led sides from young age; at minis and juniors and youth level and the more you grow, the more leadership you take on. As a lineout caller, you have a lot on your shoulders. You have to be a stern character and not wilt under pressure.”
Another individual to play a part in his journey was the former Wales and Pontypridd legend, Dale McIntosh, who lent a ear when he most needed it. “Chief was a mentor to me as a young kid. He was Ponty coach and I had a lot of respect for him as a person and the way he played the game. All I ever wanted to do was play for Pontypridd growing up. I actually phoned him when I was released from the Blues and he was really supportive with his advice.”
Hill’s constant battle to prove himself, has continued on the Test stage, and while at 6ft 5in and nearly 18 stone, he is no Lilliputian, he knows the international Test arena is littered with locks he looks up to. Eben Etzebeth, Brodie Retallick and James Ryan are all 6ft 8in, while RG Snyman is 6ft 9in and Devin Toner 6ft 10in. So does it bother him? “Well, you just have to jump a little bit higher”, he says, deadpan. “Seriously, there was a stage where international rugby was made for massive men, but I think it’s changed a bit. There are a lot more athletes in the game now. You have to be a lot fitter. The ball in play time is a lot longer and you get your hands on the ball more. I guess my engine is one of my strengths. You have to be very fit playing Test rugby now. You can’t be 130kgs and just plod around.”
While it’s easy for detractors to pinpoint what the Maesycoed-born lock is lacking – indeed he’s unlikely to be topping the bench press or deadlift records – along with Justin Tipuric in the backrow, he has that almost a throwback quality of being, wait for it…a very good rugby player. Multi-skilled either side of the ball, he is a superb lineout technician, has the aerobic ability to go for 80 minutes, regularly hits double-figures in his tackle-count, fashion turnovers, while his handling and carrying skills and reading of the game point to a player that would be coveted in any squad.
He is also adaptable. A more than competent blindside at regional level, and like Courtney Lawes, a second-half option at Test level, meaning the old versatility tag can be cast arrow-like at him. Hill is unruffled. “Sometimes you get that tag. Some very good boys have been bench players because they play a few positions but first and foremost I am a second row. I played at 6 for the Dragons sometimes because they wanted to get a bigger pack on the field. I see it as a feather in the cap.”
As for the step-up at Test level on his preference, he’s unequivocal. “You ask any of the boys, as long as I have the three feathers on my chest, I’d play anywhere. As long as I’m doing my bit for the team.”
The geographical move back closer to home means he’ll be getting to spend more time at his beloved Pontypridd Golf Club, and while he has had some wretched misfortune with injuries in the last 12 months, if he can hit the ground running at the Cardiff Blues next season, and stave off the attentions of Jake Ball and Will Rowlands, to partner Alun Wyn Jones for Wales, given his obvious standing with Warren Gatland, a squad place on the Lions tour to South Africa, could be grasped to complete a full circle from Wellington in 2017.
Lady luck, of course, will need to be on his side, but the suggestion, well it is no longer fanciful.
Comments on RugbyPass
Good to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
17 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
17 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
7 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
7 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt 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.
26 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 🤐
17 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….
26 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….
17 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….
84 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!
7 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
17 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
14 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.
17 Go to comments