Ted Hill becomes latest England player injured in training
BRENTFORD, ENGLAND - MARCH 14: Ted Hill of Worcester Warriors catches the ball during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby match between London Irish and Worcester Warriors at Brentford Community Stadium on March 14, 2021 in Brentford, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
England forward Ted Hill has become the fifth player to be injured while in the team’s camp for this summer’s Test series.
It is not known when the Worcester captain sustained the injury, after England head coach Eddie Jones did not include Hill in his squad on Thursday to face Canada this weekend.
England have been hit regular injuries since the team assembled for a training camp in June to begin preparations for the England ‘A’ match with Scotland ‘A’, which was later postponed due to Covid-19.
Hill joins Newcastle lock Sean Robinson, Bath flanker Miles Reid, Northampton centre Fraser Dingwall and Sam Underhill in picking up injuries, although the latter is set to have played in both Tests for England.
“Warriors Club Captain Ted Hill has sustained an ankle injury training with England” a statement released by Worcester confirmed.
“Hill won his second cap as a replacement lock in last Sunday’s victory over USA at Twickenham and was expected to be involved in Saturday’s international against Canada.
“The injury has ruled Hill out of the match. He will remain in camp with England while the medical staff await further assessments to establish the extent of his injury.”
Questions have been asked of the robustness of England’s training under Eddie Jones in the past, with promising Wasps flanker Sam Jones breaking him leg during a judo session in October 2016.
While Bath owner Bruce Craig and Jones were also involved in a public spat in 2018, after Craig hit out at England following Beno Obano‘s serious knee injury making him the fifth Bath player to sustain a long-term issue while away in camp.
With questions beginning to arise again, England defence coach John Mitchell says there was nothing to take from the number of injuries present this year with England’s training.
“Unfortunately, they are just part of the game,” said Mitchell. “I don’t think it is new in the game at all.
“You have had other teams, including the Lions, that have lost players in their preparation.
“The demands of this level of rugby require you to train and stress the players at a level that is equivalent to the game or above the game. It’s part and parcel of the preparation.
“There has been no madness in any of these injuries, they have just been situations that sometimes happen in contact. You are always going to get muscle or soft tissue injuries as a result of stressing players coming out of an extensive season.”
