Adam Hill: Southern man working hard

Above: A top bloke - Adam Hill signing autographs after the Wellington Lions' first match this season against Waikato.

Adam Hill has received another start at openside for the Wellington Lions as they look to notch up their first win of the season this Friday.

It doesn't get any easier for the youthful squad as they travel down south to face table-topping Canterbury.

Despite only playing in his second season for the Lions, Hill has become a leader of the pack, with some rugged performances and Super Rugby experience from earlier this year.

Hill doesn't expect this weekend's clash to get any easier for his side.

"I expect them to come out pretty hard. Canterbury is a proud province and Canterbury - Wellington games are always pretty big on the calendar no matter where we are sitting on the table. We've still got a point to prove so we'll be looking to tip them up."

Hill also believes his growing leadership responsibilities within the team are improving him as a player.

"I've always liked to lead by example. I play better when I'm talking so the more of that I can do the better I seem to go," Hill said.

Despite some improved effort by the Lions over the past few weeks they have still failed to mass any quality points on the table and sit last in the premiership, however, he remains optimistic about where the team is headed.

"We've got everything that needs to be there, we just need to be more accurate at times and keep it high for the full 80 minutes".

A full 80 minute performance is what Hill will be looking to help rectify for the remainder of the season and please the fans in the capital.

Adam Hill hasn't always made Wellington his home. Growing up in Gore, deep in the South, Hill comes from a farming background, one that has kept him in optimum shape throughout his career and perhaps given him the rough edge needed in the loose-trio.

A product of the Otago Boys' High 1^st XV, Hill got a real hunger for higher honours while boarding at the illustrious boarding school.?

"Rugby's always been pretty big in our family, Dad always loved coaching the schoolboy stuff, and then when I went to boarding school I kicked on a wee bit but after I left school I actually went farming and played club rugby in country and then got a bit of a taste for it again and got a chance with Otago and got back into it fully".

Having played several seasons for Otago's ITM cup squad and a brief stint in Hong Kong, Hill is now a veteran of the Lions side after debuting in 2013.

The 27 year-old then found his way to the Capital after both he and his partner both sought career opportunities in the city.

"We weighed up the options and decided to give it a crack here and a change is as good as a holiday".

There was the small matter of finding a suitable club side, which wasn't hard given his ITM experience, it was Cousin Joe Hill, who has also represented the Lions on the wing that swayed him into the Old Boys University club which he has represented supremely when given the opportunity.

Hill was given no guarantees by Wellington coaching staff on his arrival, he knew he would have to earn his place in the squad and his impressive 2013 club campaign saw him cement a spot in the 2013 squad.

?"I was lucky, unfortunately for Ardie [Savea] he had a bit of an injury at the start of the season last year and I got a couple of opportunities and managed to push to stay in the squad for the season".

Another welcome surprise was a selection into the Hurricanes for the 2014 season which caught the loose-forward off-guard.

"Definitely wasn't expected but a great surprise for me. I was pretty stoked when I had that news and it was also a great opportunity for me and I learnt a lot over the eight months" said Hill.

"Up here, Richard Watt and Chris Boyd have given me a lot of opportunities and Watty has helped me a lot in the background with my own game so he's been a great help."

Adam Hill has worked for his opportunities and earned a strong place within the Wellington and Hurricanes' ranks.

His aggression and leadership will be vital as the Lions look to improve on their less than savoury start to the season.