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Stuart Hogg will miss the start of 2024/25 Top 14 season – report

By Liam Heagney
Former Scotland full-back Stuart Hogg has reportedly been injured at Montpellier (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Stuart Hogg’s comeback has suffered a setback, with media in France reporting that an injury will see him miss the start of the 2024/25 season with Montpellier. The ex-Scotland captain announced in July that he was coming out of retirement and had signed a medical joker deal to move to the French Top 14.  

That announcement was made a year after he brought forward the date of his originally scheduled retirement. Hogg has stated in early 2023 that he would finish as a player at the Rugby World Cup. However, that October sign-off instead took place in July last year when he revealed he was retiring with immediate effect after slowing down on the training field with the Scots.   

Upon retirement, Hogg immediately went into TV punditry, signing a deal to work with TNT Sports. However, he eventually came around to the idea of ending his retirement from playing, and it was four weeks ago that Montpellier began pre-season training with Hogg following a difficult 2023/24 campaign where they needed to defeat Grenoble in a play-off to avoid relegation to the Pro D2.  

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Their new season, though, will now get underway without new signing Hogg, who could be sidelined for a six-week period. A L’Equipe report read: “According to our information, Stuart Hogg will miss the start of the season with Montpellier.  

“A summer recruit of the MHR, the Scottish full-back (32 years old, 100 caps), who had ended his career a year ago before the World Cup, was injured in training. After a good recovery – the MHR returned to the field on July 17 – and interesting physical signs, Hogg suffered a torn calf.  

Fixture
Top 14
Montpellier
22 - 26
Full-time
Lyon
All Stats and Data

“The average time of unavailability for such an injury being around six weeks. Hogg will therefore miss the start of the Top 14 season, and in particular the reception of LOU in the opening match on September 7. The Scot signed with the MHR as a medical joker for Anthony Bouthier, the victim of a ruptured cruciate ligament in a knee at the end of April who is not expected to return to the field before the beginning of 2025.” 

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Bull Shark 1 hour ago
Why Rassie Erasmus should cull some Boks veterans for 2027

I think cull is the wrong word.


I think Rassie and the senior players will be pretty open and honest with each other about their prospects for another World Cup campaign. And, ironically, I don’t think Rassie is thinking as far ahead as 2027 in terms of who is going to go.


There are likely going to be injuries too where players one would assume will be at 2027 won’t feature. Think Marx and Am and 2023.


I think the priority is really having as many players as possible in contention for a spot on the 33 by the time squad selection comes around.


I made this point a while ago, but having double World Cup winners in the setup over the next 3 years is going to be golden for the boks. It’s like having a coach in each position.


Razor was criticized for having too many coaches in his team. Rassie has more than 15 player coaches at his disposal.


I think Siya is being teed up to play the same role Duane did at the 2023 RWC. Invitation to the coaching box this coming weekend included.


I think many of the old guard are playing a role in the team that certainly does not guarantee them a 2027 place but doesn’t hurt their chances at being selected - but they will have to be the no.1 or no. 2 best in that position to be selected at that time. There won’t be any dead weight - whether old or young.


In my mind the strategy would be quite simple. Take everyone who will be over 32 by 2027 and pencil their names in right now in slot number three for their relative position. We know what they can do and they know what they need to do to be in contention for 2027.


Then ask yourself who do we have to take position no.1 and no. 2. Tried and tested or not. Find them and trial them over the next 3 years. Their job is to keep the old guys out. And the old guys job is to help them do just that.


That’s what Rassie has to do and has started well trying 48 players and 11 debutants in year one as the article mentioned (and winning).


I reckon there’ll be another 5-10 new players tried by the end of this year, particularly in November.


2024 ✅

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