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Unretired Stuart Hogg set to play his first match in 17 months
By PA
Former Scotland captain Stuart Hogg will play his first competitive match in 17 months after being selected to start for Montpellier in their Top 14 campaign opener at home to Lyon on Saturday. The 32-year-old retired from professional rugby in July 2023 in the lead-up to the Rugby World Cup in France, reasoning that “my body has not been able to do the things I wanted and needed it to do”.
However, after a tumultuous year out of the game in which he was plagued by off-field issues including being arrested for alleged domestic abuse, it was announced in July that Hogg would be returning to top-level rugby after signing for Montpellier on a two-year contract.
Despite being troubled by a calf issue recently, the full-back – who won the last of his 100 caps for Scotland in March last year – has been selected to start in the number 15 jersey for his new club this weekend.
It will be the experienced back’s first outing since coming on as a substitute for previous club Exeter Chiefs in their Champions Cup semi-final against La Rochelle on April 30, 2023.
Hogg is due to stand trial in Jedburgh on Tuesday, September 10, as he faces domestic abuse charges relating to his estranged wife Gillian.
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Latest Comments
Hmm, just the standard things I don't see then. These test matches have shown a return to a very aggressive kicking game for sure, perhaps thats the picture that is driving recent talk. Excluding his SR form/tyle, it's still better than Mo'unga, and more to the point (Jacko!), Beauden's, who repeatedly could not execute a kick pass to save themselves. Mo'unga should have kicked for the line all day in the WC Final, that is not a mistake Damien McKenzie would make.
This is also some of the best general attack, phase upon phase of attacks, that I have seen the ABs produce in years. I give ALL the credit in setting that temp to Dmac. Just last week alone he made a couple of outrageous plays to put his backline away, to put that final piece in the puzzle that had been missing for years. Not that I didn't think Richie wasn't a great strike weapon, he plays like a match winning league five eight and still did enough to win that WC for NZ.
Go to commentsYes! And yes again!
They need the sort of loss that ends a few careers. Big time.
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