New Saints prop Hill loves working with West

New Saints prop Paul Hill says working with Dorian West is ‘awesome’.
Paul Hill has made a big impression at Saints (picture: Kirsty Edmonds)Paul Hill has made a big impression at Saints (picture: Kirsty Edmonds)
Paul Hill has made a big impression at Saints (picture: Kirsty Edmonds)

And he feels the forwards coach has already brought his game on significantly.

Hill, a Junior World Championship winner with England Under-20s in 2014, arrived at Saints from Yorkshire Carnegie during the summer.

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And the tighthead prop has appeared in both Aviva Premiership games this season, impressing off the bench at Worcester and against Newcastle.

He was singled out for praise by Saints director of rugby Jim Mallinder after the 42-16 win against the Falcons last Saturday.

And Hill has hailed the work West has done with him as he continues to adapt to life in England’s top division.

“It (working with West) has been awesome,” said the 19-year-old.

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“He really knows his stuff, stuff I didn’t even think about.

“He’s bringing my scrummaging on loads, tweaking bits here and there, so it’s really good to work with him.

“He’s a great calibre of coach.”

Hill has been loving life at Franklin’s Gardens, where he is in a tighthead department that also contains the likes of England’s Kieran Brookes and Gareth Denman.

And he said: “I’ve really enjoyed it. I’m enjoying the environment, coaching and lads around me. It’s going quite well.

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“Being a prop is something you have to learn, but getting the game time early on has made me feel great about being at the club.

“Coming to the Premiership, the standard is really bumped up.

“I’ve got really good players around me and opposite me so it’s really driving standards for me.

“This is a big club, top of the Premiership and coming from the Championship this is a mash-up of the pace I’ve played at age-group stuff and the physicality of the Championship.”

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Saints have got a busy November coming up, with key fixtures at home and in Europe.

And ahead of Sunday’s trip to Sale Sharks, Hill said: “Now the Premiership’s started, it’s just about getting out there and getting as many wins as we can.

“For me personally, it’s about getting as much game time as I can and making use of that on the pitch.

“It’s going to be a heavy amount of games building up to Christmas so it’s really exciting and I’m looking forward to it.”

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