“He kept coming” – Richard Hill ranks his three toughest opponents

Take a look at who retired England, Lions and Saracens legend Richard Hill picked out as his toughest opponents.

The back-rower ultimate players’ player. Did all the unseen, grafting work and just got on with his job in unassuming fashion, putting his body on the line.

Able to excel right across the back row, he was a pivotal figure on two Lions trips and an England World Cup winner.

Hill, who never liked to parise opponents, broke his own ruled with these three legends.

DID YOU KNOW? He was the only player Sir Clive Woodward never dropped

RICHARD HILL’S TOUGHEST OPPONENTS

#1. GEORGE SMITH

• Position: Flanker, Number 8
• Honours: Australia, 111 caps & Barbarians, 5 caps

Hill said: “I had some pretty good tussles with George Smith. He was only just coming onto the scene, but was obviously already a very good player. His strength was over the ball.

“He always wanted to tackle as a second man, rather than make the tackle himself, so he could concentrate on stealing possession. That meant I had to alter my game and try to remove him from the contact area as quick as possible, rather than actually contest the ball itself.

“He was someone we had to analyse a lot, but every time we found a weakness to his credit he always sorted it out soon afterwards.”

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DID YOU KNOW? He was signed to the ACT Brumbies by Eddie Jones in 1999.

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