20 Questions: Michael Hills – Doncaster captain
It’s been fantastic and we just have to keep it going!
Did you expect to have such a start?
It might not be the case from outside the club but, as a group, we knew we’d be better than last year.
What do you put it down to?
Our experience from last season where we lost of few very close games. We played well all season but it didn’t always show on the scoreboard. We stayed together this summer with some very good additions and it allowed us to move on.
What about the British & Irish Cup?
We’re quite a small squad but it’s a great way to give everyone some game time and keep up the good work. The team camaraderie is brilliant around the club and it shows when we’re on the pitch.
What’s the target in the Cup?
It might be a cliché but we take each game as they come, wanting to win every single one. Clive Griffiths is very competitive and he wants us to win every time. So we aim to go as far as we can in the Cup.
No point talking about the last pool game against Jersey which could be crucial then?
No! The league resumes next weekend with a tough game against Nottingham on Boxing Day.
What’s the target in the Championship?
We’ve won eight of our first 11 games so the focus for us is to maintain the standard we set for ourselves since the start of the season. Hopefully we can stay in the top end of the table.
Two months without a loss must be pleasing…
Yes, and that loss was in the derby away at Yorkshire Carnegie. It was a tough night against a very good side. But we came out with a losing point and that was the key. We’ve picked up points from every game this year and it kept us ticking over.
Worried you might run out of steam?
We have got a smaller squad than clubs at the top of the table but the coaches are well aware of that and I’m sure they’ll manage the players well. As players, we have no doubt about our abilities and we’re confident we can keep it up.
Any standout player?
I can’t single out a particular player. We’ve come together as a team and the coaches did a great job to put us on the same page.
What about top try scorer Latu Makaafi?
He’s a very good player and he scored a lot of tries this season. But a lot of them came from driving mauls and as a fellow back rower I can vouch for him that we’d attribute them to the whole pack rather than one player. That said, he has scored some wonderful tries on his own.
Areas for improvements?
We can always improve! As a forward pack the set-piece is always somewhere we look to get better and I’m sure the backs work on their strike plays all the time, too.
How easy is it to captain Doncaster?
It’s a great honour first and foremost. I’m part of a great atmosphere at the club and I’m very proud to captain the club I started at when I was six-years-old.
Gone full circle after spells at Sale and London Welsh?
I left the club because of school when I was 16 and then I joined Sale where I played for six years. I then moved to London for four seasons before returning to the club three years ago when they were in National League One.
What about England Sevens?
I really enjoyed that 2006-07 season playing under Mike Friday and travelling the world playing rugby.
If not rugby, what would you be doing?
I wanted to be a doctor when I was younger and went to medical school part-time for a year while at Sale. But that changed and I’d probably do something to do with sport, health and well-being.
Favourite cheat meal?
You’ve got to treat yourself here and there and I wouldn’t turn down a pizza or a burger.
Three dinner guests?
Kevin Bridges, Sir David Attenborough and Tom Hanks.
Best and worst banter at the club?
Ollie Stedman is, without a shadow of a doubt, the worst while Brad Field is the best.
Best and worst dressed?
Declan Cusack brings some Irish style to the squad but I’m not sure what era Alex Shaw thinks he’s in. It’s not the Nineties anymore!
