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Worcester have reacted to the latest England snub of Ted Hill
By Chris Jones
Worcester captain Ted Hill has been told to “bite his lip” and continue putting in international-class performances at club level after Eddie Jones delivered the latest England snub to the Warriors captain. The soon-to-be 23-year-old back-rower has twice been capped by England as a replacement – most recently last July versus the United States – and his Gallagher Premiership form this season has been outstanding despite his team’s struggles near the foot of the table.
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With Lewis Ludlam ruled out of the England squad preparing to face Italy next Sunday in the second round of the Guinness Six Nations, Jones opted to bring in uncapped London Irish flanker Tom Pearson, who is featuring at this level for the first time, with the England coach seemingly unconvinced about Hill’s case for selection.
Jones has previously brought in the Leicester duo of George Martin and Ollie Chessum, who is still in the squad, ahead of Hill, who has been left to train with Worcester ahead of their daunting trip to Sale this weekend.
New Worcester boss Steve Diamond, who is building his pack of forwards around Hill, has compared the flanker’s situation to Ben Curry, the brother of England captain Tom, who has also failed to win over Jones.
Diamond, who launched the careers of the Curry twins at his former club Sale, said: “We have no crystal ball about Eddie’s selection and you just have to bite your lip, play well for your club and take the opportunity when it comes.
“Ted is unlucky and he is a fantastic player who maybe doesn’t fit the groove and I cannot say it’s because Worcester are perennially bubbling around the bottom of the league because he [Jones] is picking people from Bath. I just think there are a plethora of players in those positions and he showed last weekend against Leicester, Ted is a fantastic athlete and player had he can get better.
“I haven’t met anyone in rugby who trains harder than him and has a brilliant manner about him and will be picked in the future – no danger of that. It’s Eddie prerogative and in my previous life at Sale, Ben Curry never got a look in.”
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