England second row Jonny Hill escapes citing for shoving Australia rival

Hill forcefully struck Darcy Swain with the palms of both hands early in the Test defeat.

England’s Jonny Hill celebrates after team-mate Ellis Genge scores (Gary Day/AP) (AP)

England second row Jonny Hill has escaped a citing for shoving an Australian opponent in the face in Saturday’s first Test defeat.

Hill forcefully struck Darcy Swain with the palms of both hands early in the match as part of an on-field feud with the Wallabies lock that reached boiling point in the 34th minute.

They clashed in the maul, with Hill pulling Swain’s hair, and when they continued their tussle off the ball the Australian lost his cool by headbutting his rival.

Australia’s Darcy Swain is shown a red card by referee James Doleman (Gary Day/AP) (AP)

Swain was sent off while Hill was shown a yellow card and head coach Eddie Jones later denied that England had deliberately set out out to provoke the Wallabies forward.

The citing officer has declined to trigger disciplinary proceedings against Hill after deciding his shove to the head was not a red-card offence.

Swain, meanwhile, faces a hearing on Tuesday to determined what sanction he receives.

Jones has also evaded any investigation into his comments that referee James Doleman “evened up” the contest as a result of showing Swain a red card.