The World Cup winner speaks to skysports.com ahead of the Guinness Premiership final.
Watch Wasps v Leicester this Saturday live on Sky Sports 1 from 2.30pm
After a club career with Saracens spanning 15 years, not to mention 71 England caps and a World Cup victory to boot, Richard Hill retired earlier this month.
Ahead of the Guinness Premiership final between Wasps and Leicester,
skysports.com spoke to the 35-year-old flanker about his final season with Sarries, the ups and downs of life in rugby's top flight, England's future and this weekend's Twickenham showpiece...
Firstly, let's talk about Saracens' own Guinness Premiership season. After heading into 2008 in a play-off position, you ended the season in eighth place. What happened?
"Certainly at Christmas in terms of the Guinness Premiership our season was looking fairly encouraging. Whether that had anything to do with the fact we were already qualified into the semi-finals of the EDF Energy Cup and we'd just won ourselves through to the quarter-finals of Europe...I don't know whether there was a slight emphasis away from it. Certainly that would be the one disappointing factor of the season - how we managed to let third or fourth position slip down to eighth at the final reading."
In contrast, you had a fine run in Europe. Did you reach a stage in the season where you sacrified your league campaign to concentrate your efforts on the Heineken Cup?
"No, that's not what I'm saying. It was more a case of, maybe subconsciously, that's what happened. Certainly from a management point of view it was very clear we were still fighting at all levels - in all competitions. The fact is we did let it slip away and our best performances did seem to be saved for the European encounters we had."
The blow was perhaps softened by you being beaten by the eventual winners. Were Munster deserving of another title?
"They've gone out and they've beaten some of the best teams in Europe. They forced their way out of what was an extremely difficult pool group and have come up in the final against Toulouse, who have obviously got a similar pedigree to Munster themselves in the tournament and operate with a squad that has far superior financial resources to it."
You've enjoyed a 15-year career with Saracens. Is there any one occasion in that time which stands out as a particular highlight?
"There would a number of games, some of the big ones in Europe. Certainly in the early days of English clubs being in Europe, we went down to Toulouse when they had a similar pedigree to what they have now and beat them away from home. Obviously an emphatic victory against Biarritz, particularly in the second half of this year's home encounter and the victory against Ospreys as well in the quarter-finals."
What about a low point? You spent 18 months out of the game with knee injuries a couple of years ago...presumably there were times then you thought you'd never play again?
"Without a doubt and there were times when I thought it and there were times when I was told it. There's one thing thinking about it because that's in your own head and sometimes you don't truly have a full understanding of the medical terminology and everything; it's another thing when someone who's regarded as a master of knowledge in the area tells you that you should retire."
You gained 71 caps over an 11-year international career. The World Cup win has to be the highlight...what's your fondest memory of beating Australia in Australia?
"In the final, I suppose one of the over-riding feelings as much as anything was relief. When you've spent so much time with an eye firmly fixed, if not partially fixed, on winning the World Cup and you go into it as tournament favourites and you have some dips in form along the way
and you miss a couple of games because of injury, then when you actually get there, do it and win it, it's as much a feeling of relief - and then the euphoria kicks in."
How does it feel being labelled "England's ultimate unsung hero"? Do you wish you had more public recognition for your achievements?
"To be perfectly honest it would be hard to live up to that tag anymore. What with having just gone through a retirement process with a series of interviews and things written about me, it felt at one stage as though it was hard not to hear about myself. Media attention has never phased me one way or another. I've been just as happy, I suppose, to get on with my business and just concentrate on playing and not have to worry about anything else."
Now you've retired...how are you going to spend your Saturdays?
"Well, at the moment, doing anything and everything I want really! I'm sure with time though, once next season starts, when I hope to start a new career (discussions are currently ongoing between Saracens and Hill about a coaching role with the club) then I hope that a number of parts of my week will be filled up with watching Saracens play, but also watching Saracens players who might be out on loan to other teams."
You must know Martin Johnson well...is he the right man to take England forward? Or will his inexperience of management prevent immediate success?
"I think with Jonno you have a guy who's obviously achieved everything as a player. He had the utmost respect of the guys who played with him, he had the respect of the coaches who coached him and, as a result, I believe he has all the attributes you would need to fulfil and hold down the job title he's been given. He's a very astute guy with a good brain and therefore he will use all these qualities in order to propel himself into a position where he has a coaching and management team and ultimately a group of players that will have one common goal and aim to fulfil it."
A question about Saturday's Guinness Premiership final...the focus is obviously on Lawrence Dallaglio. What chance do you think Leicester have of being the party poopers?
"They've got every chance. You look at these two teams and it's almost like they try and outdo each other for the psychological angle of winning and why another team should win it before the match - but they end up winning it themselves. I'm sure Leicester will try and use the fact that it's Lawrence's last game; a couple of years ago, Lawrence and his team would have put the dampeners on Martin Johnson's final day of the season. There's plenty of history between these two; they've had some classic encounters, even since the turn of the year. It will be an exciting encounter I'm sure, very physical and very confrontational...two pumped-up teams."
How big a blow is the loss of Danny Cipriani to Wasps' hopes?
"I certainly believe he's a great talent. He's showed some glimpses of absolute brilliance. But a team like Wasps have never tended to rely on one individual. They've got guys who can come in and perform. The fact they've got Riki Flutey who's just won the PRA Player of the Year just goes to show the strength they have within their backs for a start."
A score prediction for the final please...
"I think the prediction's going to be too hard. Certainly it'll be very tough...there'll be a battle just for the inches. But in these big games in the past Wasps have probably just had that marginal psychological advantage that will probably pull them through."
GUINNESS is introducing an Honesty Bar to reward fans at the GUINNESS PREMIERSHIP Final. For more information visit www.guinnesspremiership.com
