'Rugby pig' Stuart Hogg's startling admission on facing England
Stuart Hogg admitted facing England was a “scary” prospect earlier in his career but the Scotland captain now goes into Calcutta Cup clashes with no fear.
Hogg made his Scotland debut 10 years ago this month while the team were in the midst of a 10-match run without victory over their biggest rivals.
The situation has changed with Scotland only losing once in four meetings and ending a 38-year wait for victory at Twickenham 12 months ago.
Hogg said: “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t sometimes worried about playing England, especially in the early years.
“For me being a rugby pig growing up, some of the names you used to play against for England, it was quite a scary task.
“Not now. I truly believe in the ability of myself and the ability of the squad that we can go out there and win, and it has shown over the last four years or so.
“We view England as the same as every other team. We respect them highly, individually and collectively, they are one of the best sides in world rugby. But we know we can compete with them.
“That’s the exciting thing about our squad. We get excited about this fixture, we get excited about the challenge, and it’s a good one to be involved in.”
The full-back feels a shift in mindset has helped “massively”.
“For us the big focus we have earlier on in the week is analysing our opposition and seeing where their strengths and opportunities lie,” he said.
“But towards the end of the week it’s very much concentrating on ourselves and making sure we get our things right. Because if we worry too much about the opposition, then sometimes we will come unstuck because we don’t know what we are doing.”
The Exeter player also feels personnel improvements have been crucial in reshaping the dynamics of the fixture.
“The main thing for us is that we have a good amount of competition to pick from now,” Hogg said. “For the last number of years we have had boys who have done a job whenever they come into the squad and they are gaining valuable experience.
“It makes it a lot tougher for coaches to pick and I think it encourages boys to get better individually.
“It starts first with the individual, and every year we seem to be adding a new coach that has added their little bits and pieces to the squad. Right now we have one of if not the best coaching sides we could pick from.
“Something that we pride ourselves on is our defence and I think Steve Tandy is the best defence coach in world rugby. You can see what he has done with us over the last couple of years and what he did with the Lions in the summer. To have him in our squad is massive.
“AB Zondagh has come into the squad this season and added bits and pieces as well. So the boys are getting valuable experience and learning new things on and off the field and ultimately it’s making us all stronger.”
Another backroom addition over the past year has been Ben Scott, a wellbeing coach who Hogg credits with making a huge impact on his outlook off the park and performances on it.
“I can’t speak on behalf of what he has done for other boys because it’s none of my business,” Hogg said. “But I know what he has done for me is absolutely incredible.
“We have regular meetings with Ben as a squad and how we can make sure we have got healthy relationships and how we can bond as a team, but then it’s very much down to the individual and how much they take it on.
“For me it’s worked wonders from everything from getting my weekly schedule right to how I am feeling going into a game.”
One of the issues Scott has helped with has been shutting out external voices. So there was no chance England coach Eddie Jones was going to get inside Hogg’s head when he claimed Scotland were going to have to deal with the burden of being “red-hot favourites”.
Laughing off the comments, the 29-year-old said: “We just concentrate on getting our things right. It’s irrelevant what’s written, what’s said.
“We have got respect and admiration for everything Eddie has done in his rugby career. As a coach he has done absolutely tremendous work with some of the best sides in world rugby, and you know that he is always going to chuck a comment in here and there.
“So I’m not biting. I’m not getting involved in that.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Think you might have written this just before the Brumbies got thrashed last weekend
5 Go to commentsI really do believe that Billy Proctor should be selected at least in the larger squad but also it would be my choice at 13, much more a center than Ioane who can still play at wing. Roigard if fit should play, otherwise it should be Perenara or Christie. Also, Iose could deserve a spot at blindside. Of course, being a Canes supporter I’m biased but I really believe that at least Billy P is deserving a chance and being Holland one of the Selectors, I’m having a little hope he could grab it.
12 Go to commentsI would not play Swinton I’d pick Wright or Hanigan. The rest are decent starters, but can’t agree on any subs except Tupou. My take on the subs: Gibbon, Ueslese, Tupou, LSL, Wilson, White, Will Harrison, and Petaia.
5 Go to commentsSBW the biggest moron to pull on a black jersey a park footy player at best
7 Go to commentsSBW is fast becoming a laughing stock, his misplaced comments & lack of insight Is actually pretty sad.
7 Go to commentsJust well you guys are couch 🛋 potatoes selector's, picking a team of greenhorns to play England! “What are you people smoking?” The halfbacks will be Christie, Fakatava, Perenara Props; Newell, Bower, Lomax, Tunga'fasi, Hookers; Asosa Amua when fit, Taylor, Samisoni,
12 Go to commentsQuite frankly, all this is a bit pathetic. The first time Wales get the Wooden Spoon in 21 years and everyone is on the bandwagon for a ‘play-off’ game. Wales have no obligation to Georgia and no obligation to the rest of the Six Nations to play such a game. If they want Georgia in so badly then they need to include South Africa into a Northern Hemisphere competition with 2 leagues of 4 teams with the top 2 competing for the Championship. Sadly, this will end Triple Crowns and Grand Slams forever. Is this really what you want?
4 Go to commentsI think Finau to start Blackadder to come on. Poss Prokter instead of Ioane, haven't seen much from Reiko so far this year.
12 Go to commentsJoe will have had a good chat with Dave Rennie, a smart move to begin with while it’s doubtful Fast Eddie will be consulted? Plenty of Aus players hitting top form so they should go OK.
5 Go to commentsMmm. Not sure I like this article or see it as necessary.
7 Go to commentsBlackadder but no Finau! 😀 It’s Razor so you are probably right, plus Taylor at 2…
12 Go to commentsThe strongest possible AB side would actually include Aaron Smith, Bodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Leicester Fainga'anuku, Shannon Frizzel.. don’t get me started on the rest of the injury hit brigade that got flung on the heap so left. Many a whole not getting filled as of yet.
12 Go to commentsI don’t think anyone knows what Schmidt will do, one thing is certain it ain’t gonna be all the picks we on the keyboard will think. My impression of him is that he will be looking at who can step up and what is the best combination. He will ignore individuals as he looks for guys who can build a powerful team and not just guys who can make a flashy run or ignore the winger as they want to score themselves.
5 Go to commentsSome dumb selections there. Not Porecki Not Donaldson Not Gordon Not Lonegran - both Not Nic White - Fines instead Not Liam Wright Not Paisami Definitely not Vunivalu Other than that not bad.
5 Go to commentsI've never been convinced that Patty T is a test match all black. Otherwise I probably agree it's the best side available to beat the poms. Caveat that Codie Taylor is yet to be seen and could very likely warrant selection by June. I hope that Razor brings the young loosies, half backs and locks into the training squad and develops/ selects the best
12 Go to commentsYou doing the same thing I disliked about the example of Samisoni Taukei'aho, Nick. He’s great the way he is, you’re trying to do what modern-day coaches frustrate me doing, turning everyone into the perfect athlete. Next thing you’ll be telling me you’ll bench him until he’s hit that arbitrary marker, and can’t overtake the current guy who’s doing all his workons. He’s a young Kieran Read, through and through, plays wide and has threat, mainly (and evident in your clips) through his two hand carry and speed. Just let him work on that, or whatever he wants, and determine his own future. Play God and you risk the players going sideways, like Read did, instead of being a Toutai Kefu. I mean I was in the same camp for a while, wanting our tight five to have the size, and carry ability, as the teams they were getting beat by. Now I’m starting to believe those teams just have better skilled and practiced individuals, bigger by upwards of 5kg sometimes, sure, but more influentially they have those intrinsic skills of trust and awareness. Basically our guys just didn’t know wtf they were doing. Don’t think I’m trying to prove a point here but hasn’t Caleb Clarke been in much better form this year, or does he just ‘look’ better now that he’s not always trying to use his size?
46 Go to commentsThe pack lacks a little in height for the line out and I wouldn’t be completely convinced by some of the combinations till we see it in action.
12 Go to commentsThe side is good but lacks experience. International playing bona fides udually trumps super rugby form for good reason. And incumbents are usually stuck with. Codie Taylor should start or come off the bench. B Barrett will start at fullback. Blackadder has not earned the position, Finau has. TJs experience and competitiveness earns him a starting role, Christie or Ratima off the bench
12 Go to commentsPretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
12 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to comments