‘Houston Culture The Difference Maker’ – Sam Hill

Written by Joe Harvey | Photos by Oscar Herrera Sam Hill believes that last year’s heartbreak can fuel the Houston SaberCats’ title chances in 2025. During his first season with Pote Human’s team, Hill helped the Texans set the pace in Major League Rugby with a 14-2 regular season record and enter the postseason as the top seed. However, despite their good form and prominence in the regular season, the team exited the postseason in the Western Conference semi-final after a 34-22 loss to the Dallas Jackals. Now approaching Week 7 of the 2025 campaign, Houston looks to have maintained some of that form. 

Photo by Oscar Herrera

The team’s only loss this season came at the hands of the Chicago Hounds in Week 1, and the side showed great resolve in overcoming a rampant Anthem RC thanks to a late Davy Coetzer penalty last weekend. https://twitter.com/usmlr/status/1903624633959719320 Currently second in the Western Conference, Hill and his team will host an unbeaten San Diego Legion at SaberCats Stadium this Saturday night in the second game of a 10-game stretch that will dictate much of the team’s season. “It feels pretty similar,” Hill, when asked what has changed for Houston, said.  “I think the only difference is that the boys are more confident. “They’re probably more aware of what we can achieve if we play to our potential. “There’s a really good atmosphere around the team. A good vibe. There is good depth in the squad, and some good players. “And the coaching staff and Pote are doing a really good job ensuring the culture is in a good place. That helps.”

Photo by Oscar Herrera

It is that culture that Hill believes sets the SaberCats apart. Developed throughout 2024 as a new set of players grew closer together as the season worked on, Hill sees those relationships as key to success. During his time with boyhood club Exeter Chiefs in the English Premiership, the 31-year-old was part of a tight-knit group of players that won the English top flight in 2017, the LV= Cup in 2014, and an Anglo-Welsh Cup in 2018. In the months after Hill left Devon for Sale Sharks in a Covid-disrupted 2019/20 season, the Exeter team went on to complete a Premiership and Champions Cup double. Upon his arrival at the Sharks, he set about trying to develop the same closeness with his new team. Combined with the addition of Alex Sanderson as Director of Rugby in 2021, that nurturing of culture culminated in the club reaching the 2022/23 Gallagher Premiership Final at Allianz Stadium, where they lost out to Saracens. “The first year, it was a bit of a shock going from Exeter to Sale,” Hill said. “It was very cliquey and a lot of different groups that stuck together.  “I don’t want to say that I brought in culture there at all, but I did try to bring in stuff I got from Exeter. “Then Al Sanderson came in (as Director of Rugby in 2021). He was at Sarries (Saracens), and they had the same sort of thing with their culture as Exeter. “He played a massive part in bringing everyone together. It played a massive part in bringing everyone together. It was a night and day difference.  “The second year I was there, everyone was closer, and it was purely down to Al bringing in that culture. He was really big for it.”  It was the environment in Houston and the intention to lift silverware after falling short last year that motivates Hill’s every move now.

Photo by Oscar Herrera

Now a third of the way into the 2025 regular season, the 31-year-old is under no illusions that there is plenty more to come in a yellow and black jersey this year. “I came back because I really enjoyed it,” Hill said. “I really enjoyed the culture, and I got along with the boys here and the staff. “I also just feel like we didn’t do ourselves justice last year. I want to go further this year and try to win the Championship. That is the main goal.” Hill has recaptured his enjoyment for rugby again with Houston. Before coming to MLR, the center had endured an injury-disrupted end to his time with Sale. He spent a combined total of 12 months on the sideline after he tore his hamstring off the bone on two separate occasions. In many ways, the center’s move to MLR was inspired by his former housemate, Will Hooley. The former USA international spent two seasons in Devon and ended his career with the San Diego Legion in 2023 before joining the league as a Technical Director.  Having heard nothing but positive news about the competition and after finishing with Sale it seemed like the perfect change of pace. Aside from playing rugby sevens in Dubai for an invitational team as the only professional, the 31-year-old spent the entire offseason getting his body ready to help the SaberCats lift the Shield for the first time. “The thing I like here is that it is a short season,” Hill explained. “You play for six months, and I feel like that break you get, you feel fresher coming into the season. “In England, you’re constantly carrying a niggle or something, and you have a little bit of time off but come back still not feeling fresh.  “Here you get that time off, so you’ve just recovered mentally, and you feel really fresh. “I stopped enjoying it in England because it is so relentless. I got over it in the last few years.  “I’m hoping, touch wood, I can stay injury-free and play a part in something special this year.” Watch the Houston SaberCats take on the San Diego Legion live on ESPN+ in the USA and on The Rugby Network in the rest of the world. https://twitter.com/HOUSaberCats/status/1905669108001108047