Richard Hill backs Saracens for Premiership glory

By Ben Dirs

Venter won 17 caps for South Africa between 1994 and 1998

Saracens and England legend Richard Hill believes director of rugby Brendan Venter is capable of leading his old club to Premiership glory this season.

Sarries are third in the table with two games to play and almost assured of a place in the semi-finals.

"Brendan's done a tremendous job," said World Cup-winning flanker Hill.

"We've got a tough task on our hands but it's not impossible. We believe that how we're playing is good enough to win the Premiership."

Hill, who is in training for the Great British Bike Ride from Lands End to Twickenham which finishes on the same day of the Guinness Premiership double-header in September, added that Saracens had "surprised many people" with their showing this term.

Venter replaced Australian Eddie Jones towards the end of last season and his appointment coincided with a mass clear-out of players, leading to rumours that Saracens, owned by a consortium with links to Super 14 franchises the Sharks and the Stormers, would become a South African outfit in exile.

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Springboks hooker Schalk Brits duly led an influx of South African talent, but Hill, capped 71 times by England, believes Venter has blended a team of high-profile imports and home-grown talent with aplomb and has no complaints.

"There were many critics at the end of last season and during the summer, but [Venter] has gone about his business in a planned manner," Hill told BBC Sport.

"Schalk Brits at the weekend had a phenomenal game (Saracens beat Harlequins 37-18 at Wembley), he's an outstanding talent.

"He's a player we've used in a number of other positions other than hooker and we wouldn't be afraid to put him in the backs as well.

"We've also been very fortunate to have Ernst Joubert coming in, he's had a great controlling influence at number eight, but also we've had our own youngsters come through.

Hill retired from rugby in 2008 after playing 275 times for Sarries

"[Flanker] Andy Saull and [fly-half] Alex Goode, to name just two, have come through the system and have not only settled in the team but are two of the outstanding performers and we've got high hopes they'll get international honours.

"There's no doubting that after Christmas we came a bit unstuck, but the refereeing directives and also our change of emphasis in playing style has allowed us to flourish towards the end of the season.

"If you look at the last four games we've played it's extremely encouraging and we're in a position a lot of teams would want to be in."

Saracens kicked off the season with eight straight wins in the Guinness Premiership before hitting a brick wall, losing five out of six league matches after Christmas.

But they have roared back in recent weeks, winning three of their last four matches and scoring 18 tries in the process.

They play second-placed Northampton on Saturday and table-topping Leicester on 8 May, but with Sarries sitting eight points ahead of fourth-placed Wasps and nine ahead of fifth-placed London Irish, a semi-final spot looks assured.

"We have the opportunity to go into the semi-finals of the Guinness Premiership for the first ever time and once you get into a knockout situation anything can happen," Hill added.

"I bet there was no-one putting money on England at the last World Cup to make the final, so that belief is definitely still there. Hopefully we'll have a historic last few weeks to the season. There's definitely a chance."

Hill is taking part in the Great British Bike Ride despite having a total knee replacement last June, a procedure he called "one of the tougher ones I've had to come back from".

Hill, who will be raising money for the RFU Injured Players Foundation, the RPA Benevolent Fund, Help for Heroes and the Saracens Sports Foundation, added: "I probably needed a challenge to get back into some sort of shape.

"Having tipped the scales at 18st 3lb it was probably time to redress the balance and to be able to raise money was a big incentive for me.

"Unfortunately my last few years in professional rugby I had some quite serious injuries and I was very fortunate I had the medical support and also the moral support during what can be a really tough time."