Teenage England debut came too soon

BBC News

4 hours ago

Premiership-winning flanker Ted Hill says he is "a completely different player and different person" compared to when he made his England debut as a teenager, and believes he may have been thrust into international rugby too soon.Hill won his first England cap back in 2018 aged just 19, but has only added three more in the seven years since, his last coming against Wales in the 2025 Six Nations.After an outstanding season for title-winning Bath, Hill believes he is now ready to kick on in an England shirt."I haven't done anything at international level and I want to be able to take that step up," he told BBC Sport.Hill's next chance to do that comes on Saturday, as England play France in a non-cap match ahead of the summer tour of Argentina and the USA."Being in camp is an experience in itself and I have always had so much respect for people who have done it and excelled in it, because it is tough work," he added."It's definitely not something I've completed yet, but I have been lucky to be involved in this camp and hopefully many more to come."
Hill made his England debut in the autumn of 2018 under former head coach Eddie Jones, a selection he says "100%" came too soon."When I look back at getting my international cap at 19, I feel a completely different player and person to then," he said."I was selected after six or seven Premiership games, and it was a next level I almost didn't feel ready for."As an athlete you just mature as you get older and you learn what works for you and is best for you. And in terms of playing it's always been about how many involvements I can get in a game."Steve [Borthwick] wants me to run and work hard and that is an absolute must at international level. For me it's just about knowing what I can do differently [to the other back row players] and trying to bring that to the game."Hill's England call-up came in the midst of a whirlwind few days, with Bath ending a 29-year wait to win the Premiership title after edging past Leicester at Twickenham."It's been crazy, but so amazing to get over the line. It was better than I could have ever imagined, it's been a special couple of days," he said."You see the French teams when they win their stuff, and the celebrations [with the fans], and that's how it felt. It felt like the whole city came out to support us, and it showed how much it meant to everyone."