Saints quiz-master Hill happy to help lift the spirits during tough times

It all started in Romania a couple of years ago, as the prop stood at the front of a packed, stationary plane.

Saints, and several of their supporters and members of the local media, were stuck in the snow in Timisoara.

Their Challenge Cup clash with Timisoara Saracens, scheduled for earlier that day, had been abandoned as the pitch was totally covered in snow.

And with everyone keen to get home as quickly as possible, the squad, coaches, supporters and press trotted onto the plane they hoped would take them home.

But with the weather refusing to relent - even the bus journey to the airport was treacherous - the plane got stuck on the tarmac.

The players tried to get it moving by shovelling snow from close to the wheels, while a tug-truck also tried to have an influence.

But after the truck also got stuck, there was no way out, leaving everyone stranded on the plane for almost six hours before the decision was finally made to go back to the hotels, which had to be rebooked, and try again on Sunday afternoon.

It was a nightmare scenario, but one that Hill embraced.

He took over the in-flight communication system and delivered one of his now trademark quizzes, entertaining passengers in his friendly northern manner.

Little did he know it would be the start of something, as Hill also provided a series of pick-me-ups during the global pandemic this year.

He delivered quizzes to Saints staff online and did what he could to keep spirits up.

And with Saints having lost 16 of their past 18 matches and 11 successive games in all, it seems Hill's uplifting attitude can certainly be useful once again in the coming weeks.

"I don't get caught up in what goes on outside in the sense of I take it day to day and there's a lot to be said for that because if everyone does their job, it becomes much easier," Hill said.

"You shouldn't be worried about looking at other people, those are the roles of other people, and unfortunately I've not been burdened with that.

"I'm lucky enough just to sort myself out and let everyone just crack on so it's an easy life for me really.

"In years gone by there would be individuals who would bring a negative attitude but fortunately now we've got a really positive group of lads.

"A lot of lads enjoy each other's company and boys are always catching up for a coffee and spend a lot of time together.

"It leads to positivity around training and it can only be a benefit.

"No one wants to hang around with someone who is a misery and that applies to all walks of life."

And how about those quiz talents?

"I did four of them during lockdown but you do four and people appreciate it and towards the end I'm running out of quiz questions," Hill said, jovially.

"I did that during lockdown and it was good fun but there hasn't been much quizzing recently because I think people are going about their normal lives and haven't got time for sitting on Zoom for 50 minutes!"

During lockdown, this publication ran a series of 'team-mate' features, asking past and present Saints players about the men they played alongside.

It was a comical take on life at Franklin's Gardens, and Hill featured heavily in many replies, with most of his current and former team-mates happily highlighting his dress sense as the worst at the club.

But Hill said: "People like to attack me for my dress, but I think I'm the one who's got it right and everyone else has got it wrong.

"It's just personal choice!"

Hill has racked up 115 appearances for Saints since joining the club from Yorkshire Carnegie during the summer of 2015.

He has played three times so far this season, but did miss the match at Bristol Bears.

He explained: "I had a few injuries I was carrying and they thought it was a good chance to take me out of the fold.

"I had a shoulder issue and a hamstring issue so they were just like 'we can roll you out again and potentially make it a lot worse or we can take you out of the mix' so it was a rest."

It was to be a tough night for the man who replaced Hill in the squad against the Bears as Ehren Painter was penalised for a last-minute knock-on that allowed Bristol to land a penalty that won the game.

And Hill said: "When I was watching the game I was absolutely screaming at the TV because he had legitimately gone to do something honest and good.

"It wasn't like it was malicious but it's that tiny slip of the mind where he was slightly upright in his position and he was caught at a difficult angle.

"You could say different referee and slightly different camera angle and it doesn't go that way."

And it was to be another agonising conclusion against Bordeaux last weekend, with Hill having come on as a second-half replacement for Owen Franks.

"You do 90, 95 per cent right, in terms of we defended excellently, but we missed some opportunities," Hill said.

"Bordeaux are a strong team but we put them to the sword in all areas of the pitch and for that to come off the post, it's one of those brutal feelings and how often does it happen that they score after the ball comes off the post?

"But that's not what lost us the game, it was the small opportunities that we missed that lost it for us, but hey ho, that's what happens."

Hill is adept at shrugging off what happened the week before and quickly refocusing for the next challenge.

And that challenge couldn't be much bigger, as Saints square up to a formidable Leinster side in Dublin on Saturday.

But, true to form, Hill is only looking on the bright side of life.

"I'd say it's an opportunity," said the 25-year-old.

"I love playing against Leinster, they're a fantastic side with good quality players and a good system and they're a perfect team to test yourself against.

"It's something a lot of boys are looking forward to doing and we want to tighten the screw on our mistakes from last week and go over there and put them to the sword."