The Ted Hill ambition after ending long spell without England cap

Ted Hill is eager for more after being handed the chance to kickstart his England career. The Bath forward came on in the closing moments of his side’s nail-biting 16-15 win over Scotland, his first international action since he won a second cap three and a half years ago.

While the 25-year-old had minimal time to leave an impression as England wrestled back the Calcutta Cup for the first time since 2020, he now has a springboard to push for more. His own versatility, coupled with a tournament-ending injury to lock George Martin, means there could be chances in both the second and back row for Hill to pursue.

After waiting all the way until the 79th minute to pull the shirt back on, he is happy to be in the conversation. “There is always that fear towards the end (about getting on). It’s been a long time – 2021 was the last time I played. Luckily Steve (Borthwick) put me on so it was good,” he said.

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“It has been difficult but I have had conversations with the England guys throughout that period. There has not been silence which is nice. It was only a short, short period for myself but to get that win and be back involved was really good.

“It’s where I want to be to keep challenging myself. For me, that time has just been about playing well for my club and seeing where it puts me. It’s put me in a position to get on at the weekend and hopefully keep progressing from that.”

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Italy

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Whether Hill has a realistic chance of cracking the starting XV against Italy next weekend is another matter, but he is content to work up from his current back-up role. “Having continuity in the team is not to be mistaken for just letting people off and being complacent,” he said.

“There is no guys here who are complacent because in every single position there is people breathing down their neck and dying to get an opportunity. Everybody here is fully aware of that. People in my position who are waiting for their chance, it’s about keeping plugging away and showing that you are willing, able to learn. That is all you can do.”

In the aftermath of the narrow win against Scotland, Hill took the chance to pose for pictures alongside former Worcester teammates Fin Smith and Ollie Lawrence. The trio’s presence in the England group provides a reminder of the club, which was wound up in 2022 amid financial difficulties.

Hope still lingers that the team will resurface and Hill, who still has a house and family in the area, hopes to see it. “It would be cool, but the most important thing is you want them to come back in circumstances where they stay back and they are not coming back in circumstances where things are shaky,” he said.

“It would be great for the guys who have gone to see that happen but it would also be great for the people who live there. I hear about so many people who say they miss it and they want it to be back. For the area it would be a big thing.”