Ted Hill - about time he got regular start at No.6 in Ais?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2025 12:24 pm
by jngf
I’m looking at Ted Hill and am struggling to understand who is a better option at 6 in the upcoming Ais ?
Making a few assumptions:
(I) If fit Sam Underhill and Tom Willis will be the other two back row starters ( especially given Tom Curry may be getting long term injury addressed and out for up to a season )
(ii) CCS may be looked at as the go to utility back 4 forward finisher rather than a specialist backrow (or lock) starter
(iii) Regardless of Lions I’m not sure either Earl or Pollack will get a look in as starters ( unless of injury upsets)
What are the other options I am missing? E.g. Ben Curry is a good openside but hardly balances a player like Underhill as well as Hill with his lineout jumping and Croft like pace would.
What am I missing here?
Re: Ted Hill - about time he got regular start at No.6 in Ais?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2025 12:29 pm
by Danno
Oh my god.
Re: Ted Hill - about time he got regular start at No.6 in Ais?
Do forgive me me for being a tad frustrated that you don't just stick these in the EPS thread. It's basically what it's purpose is. I don't mean it personally.
Re: Ted Hill - about time he got regular start at No.6 in Ais?
Do forgive me me for being a tad frustrated that you don't just stick these in the EPS thread. It's basically what it's purpose is. I don't mean it personally.
I just looked for the dedicated JNGF backrow bonanza thread that I was sure I’d made - turns out it was you. Shame that never go put to use.
Re: Ted Hill - about time he got regular start at No.6 in Ais?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2025 6:35 pm
by FKAS
Are we also really revisiting why the poor man's Tom Croft isn't fancied by Statistical Ballplay?
Re: Ted Hill - about time he got regular start at No.6 in Ais?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2025 7:16 pm
by jngf
FKAS wrote: ↑Tue Aug 05, 2025 6:35 pm
Are we also really revisiting why the poor man's Tom Croft isn't fancied by Statistical Ballplay?
Bit mean? Ted Hill’s got more on physicality and power stakes than Croft ever had going for him despite the his athletic gifts.
Re: Ted Hill - about time he got regular start at No.6 in Ais?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2025 8:55 pm
by Danno
Croft completed more than three tackles a match tbf
Re: Ted Hill - about time he got regular start at No.6 in Ais?
Do forgive me me for being a tad frustrated that you don't just stick these in the EPS thread. It's basically what it's purpose is. I don't mean it personally.
I just looked for the dedicated JNGF backrow bonanza thread that I was sure I’d made - turns out it was you. Shame that never go put to use.
Ha, I forgot about that. Must have been drinking whiskey, sends my sarcasm into ultramegaturbo mode
Re: Ted Hill - about time he got regular start at No.6 in Ais?
FKAS wrote: ↑Tue Aug 05, 2025 6:35 pm
Are we also really revisiting why the poor man's Tom Croft isn't fancied by Statistical Ballplay?
Bit mean? Ted Hill’s got more on physicality and power stakes than Croft ever had going for him despite the his athletic gifts.
Croft punched well above his weight. At the For the Love of Rugby podcast thing in Leicester he admitted that he struggled to get his weight up to 100kg and spent most his career lying about hitting his weight goal as no matter how much he ate and lifted he struggled to add mass. He'd have been a monster with more modern nutrition plans.
Ted Hill is a unit and he's fast, fairly skillful as well but I do forget he's playing for large parts of the game. When you do notice him he's normally doing something impressive but does that fly at international level? Combined with relatively weak tackle completion and dominant tackle stats it's not a very compelling argument for him.
Re: Ted Hill - about time he got regular start at No.6 in Ais?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2025 9:32 pm
by Mikey Brown
Are you sure these aren't strategic (genius, you might even say) missed tackles in the vein of Owen Farrell?
Re: Ted Hill - about time he got regular start at No.6 in Ais?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2025 9:54 pm
by FKAS
Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Tue Aug 05, 2025 9:32 pm
Are you sure these aren't strategic (genius, you might even say) missed tackles in the vein of Owen Farrell?
If he was displaying that level of genius he'd have 50 caps by now surely.
