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Ex-Scotland star Stuart Hogg drops biggest hint yet on Test rugby return
By Ian Cameron
Former Scotland captain Stuart Hogg is reportedly eyeing a Test return with the national team following reports that he is set to join Montpellier as a medical joker.
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The 31-year-old shocked the sport when he retired from rugby last summer ahead of the World Cup but looks set to revive his career by joining the French Top 14 side.
The potential move to Bernard Laporte’s Montpellier would see him replace injured France fullback Anthony Bouthier. It’d be a major U-turn for Hogg who previously claimed that his body could no longer meet the demands of professional rugby.
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Should the move go ahead, it opens up the door for Hogg to return to the Scotland fold and even – whisper it – the 2025 British & Irish Lions of Australia.
On the face of it, retirement has not been kind to the former Scotland skipper, who has faced personal challenges off the pitch.
He made tabloid headlines when he went public with a new relationship just days after his wife gave birth to their fourth child in November. Then in February he was arrested and charged with causing fear and alarm by allegedly acting in a threatening or abusive manner towards his estranged wife.
Hogg recently appeared in court and denied a charge of stalking. A trial date is set for July 30th on the matter.
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The troubled fullback revealed in April that he had spent time in rehab after experiencing “the darkest of times,” admitting that he felt “lost and needed help.”
In a statement posted online the former British & Irish Lion said that his time away from the game had helped him to “see the world differently” and that he was “excited” about his future.
Hogg’s biggest hint yet at a potential return to Test rugby has emerged on social media, where he is a frequent poster. He changed his Instagram profile picture to one of him playing for Scotland and added a Scottish flag and #1025, his cap number, to his bio. Some might take it that these changes suggest that Hogg is keen to add to his 100 caps for Scotland.
The Hawick native reportedly held talks with clubs in England and Japan before settling on Montpellier. Joining the French club as a medical joker allows Hogg to re-enter the sport at a high level, even if MHR drop to the ProD2.
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If the move goes ahead he would join the likes of Billy Vunipola, Sam Simmonds and Harry Williams, although the latter might be headed for the door. Hogg is certainly changing his tune after apparently ruling out a professional return just a couple of months ago.
“I think I’ll play [but] I don’t think I’ll play professionally. I might have a little run-out for Hawick next season and see how that goes. I’m really enjoying my new life.
“I still get the match-day buzz – the build-up to the game, the warm-up and stuff. I used to love it, and I’ve had that forever. Will I play professionally again? Probably not,” said Hogg.
I hope he tries really hard to get back into the international team, but doesn’t manage.
I hope his time at Montpellier ends in injury, and that then he goes to prison for harassing his wife.
And throughout it all I hope he receives A LOT of hate online; via the post; and in person.