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Stuart Hogg mercilessly roasted on first day of training at Sandy Park
Stuart Hogg’s new Exeter Chiefs teammates didn’t take long to get into the Scotsman on his first day at Sandy Park.
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Rob Baxter will thrust the Scottish international straight into the fray for his new club at The Rec, less than two weeks after he arrived in Devon from his exertions with the national side at the Rugby World Cup in Japan.
“It’s been a hectic week, lots of learning on the job. I know I’m being chucked in at the deep end, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. What I’ve got to make sure of is that I’m up to speed with things as best I can, that I know my stuff, and that I hit the ground running as best I can.”
Already Hogg’s new team-mates have been busy helping the former Glasgow Warriors star to get used to the inner workings of the Chiefs, having missed the pre-season build-up whilst on international duty.
However, that also has not stopped them giving the newcomer a somewhat amusing welcome on his arrival in the Westcountry. Hogg was greeted on his first day at Sandy Park with his changing perch decorated with an array of well-placed Japanese flags following Scotland’s exit out of the World Cup to the host nation.
“I wouldn’t have expected anything else,” he joked. “I’ve been around long enough to see boys come and go from different clubs, so it’s good to be here and the boys have welcomed me with open arms.”
.@bensmithrugby explains why the Exeter Chiefs and Scotland fullback Stuart Hogg will be a match made in rugby heaven. https://t.co/nJHNkmqMVb
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 15, 2018
But as Hogg rightly points out, his main focus is on producing for the Chiefs, starting with tomorrow night’s game.
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Having watched on from the sidelines as last season’s beaten Premiership finalists kicked off their season with a hard-fought win over Harlequins, the 27-year-old is one of five changes Baxter has made to his starting XV for this Round Two encounter.
Hogg will start at full-back for the Chiefs, who have also added Sam Hill and Alex Cuthbert to a new-look back division, while up front Ben Moon and Dave Ewers are also handed first starts of the season. On the bench, there is a welcome return for scrum-half Stuart Townsend, who has been out of action since last December with a knee injury.
Stuart Hogg has earned his move to a brilliant club with a seriously big culture. The challenge for those at Scotstoun is to take what he helped build and grow it again.
Some thoughts for @RugbyPass ?https://t.co/9rzx1SIJxP
— Jamie Lyall (@JLyall93) November 13, 2018
For Hogg, though, the chance to showcase his proven talents in the Premiership is something he has craved since signing on the dotted line with the Chiefs.
“I’m a bit of a student of the game, I tend to watch a lot of rugby,” he said. “I know what the Premiership is all about, but I also know experiencing it for myself will be totally different. Just in training this week, you can see the intensity and the speed is right up there.
“Bath, this week, will be a tough game. They are at home for the first time and they’ll be coming for us, especially after losing last week. What we have to do is make sure we concentrate on ourselves, get the details spot on, and look to come away with a good win.”
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Stuart Hogg was very honest as he reflected on a difficult day for Scotland.https://t.co/xGi48ywwug
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 22, 2019
Although content with victory in their seasonal opener against Harlequins a week ago, Hogg admits he was impressed by the way in which the Chiefs coaches and players questioned certain aspects of their play in the aftermath.
“It was a good start – and it was good for me and the family to experience Sandy Park for the first time – it’s an incredible place,” continued the two-time British & Irish Lion. “As I said, though, it’s exciting times and I’m here to help out and hopefully win trophies with the club.
“Being in the changing rooms afterwards and to hear what the boys had to say on that victory, the boys were pretty disappointed with certain aspects of the game which, for me, is an exciting thing that we can get even better. Already the boys have been working hard these last couple of days to put things right, so we’re looking forward to hitting the ground running on Friday night.”
– Exeter Chiefs
Comments on RugbyPass
Lets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
10 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
10 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
34 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
34 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to comments