'He’s hellish. You and Peter O’Mahony are the worst to play against'
Stuart Hogg has named the two players who rubbed him up the most during his stellar career. The 30-year-old last month announced that he will retire from playing following the upcoming Rugby World Cup with Scotland and he has now given his first major interview since that revelation broke.
Hogg spoke at length on the latest RugbyPass Offload show with Ryan Wilson and Max Lahiff about a myriad of topics, everything from touring with the Lions at the age of 20, his bold attempt at a move to Ulster, his Scotland debut, his best rugby tours, getting attacked on social media, and the reasons behind his retirement.
The ex-Glasgow and current Exeter full-back then finished off the interview with some quickfire answers, revealing the best player he played with and against, the best training ground fight he saw, who annoyed him the most, and the three people he would invite to the party to beat all parties. Here is how the quickfire round unfolded:
RugbyPass Offload: Best player you played with?
Stuart Hogg: Finn Russell.
RPO: Best player you have ever played against?
SH: Dan Carter.
RPO: Biggest fight you witnessed in training?
SH: Tom Ryder and Ofa Fainga’anuku. That was a great fight. It went on for a good five minutes too long.
RPO: Who has rubbed you up the most in your career?
SH: That prick, Wilson. In all the time I have played, I have heard what you said to some people and then I was like, 'S***, I have got to play against them'. I moved to Exeter and the most gutted I have ever been was drawing Glasgow in the European round the first season I was there. I went on the back of a forward pod and this clown [Wilson] came from absolutely nowhere.
I just shipped the ball on to anybody and he wiped me late still. He stuck his forearm in my face and went, 'That is just the f***in’ beginning' and all that kind of stuff. I remember the ball skipped past me and Wilson was flying out of the line to hit me and as it skipped passed, he was, 'Oh, you’re f***in' lucky there'. He’s hellish. You and Peter O’Mahony are the worst to play against, just hard buggers that I just don’t enjoy.
RPO: Three people in a car for the biggest party of your life?
SH: Wilson, Dave Ewers, Greig Laidlaw – and we’re not allowed to leave this house. Because if we leave for anywhere else then Wilson is just completely off. I’m not taking him at all.
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It certainly needs to be cherished. Despite Nick (and you) highlighting their usefulness for teams like Australia (and obviously those in France they find form with) I (mention it general in those articles) say that I fear the game is just not setup in Aus and NZ to appreciate nor maximise their strengths. The French game should continue to be the destination of the biggest and most gifted athletes but it might improve elsewhere too.
I just have an idea it needs a whole team focus to make work. I also have an idea what the opposite applies with players in general. I feel like French backs and halves can be very small and quick, were as here everyone is made to fit in a model physique. Louis was some 10 and 20 kg smaller that his opposition and we just do not have that time of player in our game anymore. I'm dying out for a fast wing to appear on the All Blacks radar.
But I, and my thoughts on body size in particular, could be part of the same indoctrination that goes on with player physiques by the establishment in my parts (country).
Go to commentsHis best years were 2018 and he wasn't good enough to win the World Cup in 2023! (Although he was voted as the best player in the world in 2023)
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