Hill embodies rugby's old school values

FRENCH NOTES:The new president of Racing Club Narbonne exudes a lot of old school rugby values like passion, friendship, fun, hard work, care and honour

ANTHONY HILL is the new president of Racing Club Narbonne Méditerranée. He has been in the role for two weeks. Mr President looked at me over a quiet beer the other night with that big infectious smile on his face: “Mattie, you understand we are freaks,” he said. “What we are doing is not normal. Most men have stopped being passionately involved in rugby years ago. They have grown up and got real jobs!”

A laugh shook his giant frame. There was that larrikin twinkle in his eye: “It’s great, isn’t?” I call Anthony the mayor of Narbonne? “Hilly” as he is known throughout the rugby world, or as the French say “illy”, was not elected, but there is no doubt who runs this town. To walk with him through the avenues in the heart of the city requires patience. The walk should take less than five minutes.

But not alongside the mayor. There is a kiss, a hug, a story and mostly a coffee with and for everyone. Twenty minutes later, I’ve had enough, the Australian in me kicks in. Impatient and driven, I yell: “Hilly, for God’s sake, come on!” Never a stress, never a hassle, Hilly smiles: “Matt, you have to learn how to do business in France. The first guy I meet I am going to hit him up for sponsorship – he owns a massive business. The woman with the baby, she is the wife of the owner of the car dealership.”

And so on it goes. “Monsieur ’illy” has done more networking in the walk to the car than most marketers will do in a month.

“Mate,” he says, slapping his monstrous hand between my shoulder blades, before engulfing me in a bear hug and kissing the top of my hair, “it’s the south of France, enjoy it.”

Hilly was born in a tough working-class suburb of western Sydney. The journey from Parramatta rugby club, where he started playing first grade rugby, to president of Narbonne is remarkable.

There is no doubt Anthony was a gifted athlete. From a representative schoolboy to being graded with the famous Balmain Tigers rugby league club, he excelled at this game of ours. It was the amateur days and Hilly decided to change his life by moving to Sydney’s Eastern suburbs and playing for the Randwick rugby club. I’ll be honest, I don’t like Randwick. It’s not my club, but there is no doubt it changed Anthony’s life.

Bob Dwyer, the Randwick legend, organised for him to play a season as an amateur in France. Amazingly for a kid from the west of Sydney, the game went professional and Hilly has been living the French life for the past 16 years. A French family man with a great head for business, the position as president of Narbonne suits him well.

At two metres tall, Hilly had a fabulous career as a lock and number eight in Top 14 rugby with several clubs but there was never any doubt where his heart and future lied. Narbonne.

According to Hilly we are “freaks” because the passion for being involved in the onfield game of rugby has not dimmed. It’s more than that with Hilly. He exudes a lot of old school rugby values like passion, friendship, fun, hard work, care and honour.

Above all it’s his loyalty that stands out. Loyalty is not a word that gets used very often around sport these days. Being loyal to your team does not seem to get rewarded any more. Being loyal to people through both success and adversity is not popular.

The new term for not respecting loyalty is cut-throat. It is used to describe knifing people. I know; I’ve had my throat cut a few times over the years. Thankfully, knifing in rugby does not kill you and in time you heal, but the scars remain. I often pretend to run my fingers over those psychological scars so I never forget.

I don’t think Hilly and I are freaks, but I do think we are dinosaurs.

Rugby men from another age.

Loyalty, keeping your word, putting people before money and standing by your mates no matter what comes is pretty much dead in the pro ranks. I hate to say it, but those who run professional rugby nowadays have selectively extinguished those qualities.

These were the exact values that made rugby stand out from other sports.

Rugby runs the risk of losing its way. Money will do that to a sport.

The last four months in Narbonne have been a wonderful life experience. It has been incredible. That said, it should not mask the tough days. There have been moments when I wanted to leave. Jump on a plane back to Sydney.

Go for a surf, hug my kids and fall asleep on my chair watching Leinster at 3am. I am not getting paid much. I knew that from the start. This gig was never about money, it was about a dream. A rugby dream.

I have a crushing travel schedule to and from Ireland. Why stay? I’ve done the club restructure gig many times before. What have I got to prove in second division French rugby? Hilly is getting paid nothing. He is working full time on the dream. He is committed to the Narbonne venture because he loves this club and wants to see it prosper.

I respect that more than words can say.

I made a promise to him this week. Come what may I won’t let him down. I may stay or I may go but I will not let him down. He has given too much as a man to the club for me to disrespect his commitment. Dinosaur values? Probably. After I finished with Ulster I made a conscious decision that if I was given another coaching opportunity I was not going to treat others the way I had been treated.

Hilly is a good ten years younger than me. I hope he has a long and fruitful reign as president of Narbonne.

He is capable of guiding the club into the future because he understands the game, understands the people and understands how business works in France.

I want to see Narbonne prosper too. When I arrived, this great old club’s heartbeat was faint. Reaching the Top 14 will be very difficult for this small town but surviving as a strong second division club is achievable.

This season is going to be hand-to-hand combat to survive in Pro Div2. We have a fighting chance.

Maybe, just maybe, Hilly will stay around long enough to pass on to future generations of players the values that made the game special. I hope he keeps that flame burning for I fear this great man may be one of the last of his kind: a loyal, old school, rugby leader.