'Uncalled for': Ex-All Black defends Stuart Hogg and Finn Russell from 'unfair' criticism
Former All Blacks hooker James Parsons has leapt to the defence of Scotland stars Stuart Hogg and Finn Russell after they became the subjects of harsh criticism following their side’s Six Nations loss to France at the weekend.
Hogg and Russell were lambasted by ex-Ireland internationals Rob Kearney and Shane Horgan for their efforts against Les Bleus in a match that Scotland lost 36-17 at Murrayfield in Edinburgh.
That result effectively ended Scotland’s hopes of challenging for the Six Nations title, and Kearney and Horgan wasted no time in ripping into Hogg and Russell for their performances.
A dropped catch by Hogg from a long Chris Harris pass with the tryline begging near the end of the first half proved to be a focal point of the match, especially after France marched down the field and scored a try themselves just before the break.
That moment in particular left Horgan aggrieved with Hogg, who he said is “not the complete player” despite his tag as one of the world’s best.
“I think he makes one or two big mistakes every game,” Horgan told Virgin Media Sports TV on Irish television in the immediate aftermath of the match.
“I really like the way he plays, I think he’s really exciting. He wants to get involved he makes lots of breaks. He’s really passionate and he’s really committed to Scotland and he works really hard, but he makes one or two errors every game.
“He’s not the complete player.
“He has a little bit of a weakness on his inside shoulder when defending. He has the occasional terrible day on the high ball, which we have seen with the Lions. His positional sense isn’t great. We saw him drop that ball.
“Even going back a couple of years ago with the try against Ireland which he dropped on the line. They’re crucial errors.
“If you want to be an outstanding, world class player, which I think he is and capable of being, you can’t allow those elements into your game and he consistently does it. As your top player, he can’t.”
Kearney, the 98-test Ireland and British & Irish Lions fullback, followed suit as he criticised the Scotland captain for his defensive shortcomings.
“Captain of the team, along with other big key members of this team not stepping up. On the big day, they’re the ones that need to perform,” Kearney told Virgin Media Sports TV.
“He’s a fullback who closes the gate early. Teams will know when they’re analysing that he leaves a lot of space in the backfield. He’s caught badly out of position.”
Russell was subjected to similarly dour assessment of his performance as Horgan labelled his levels of effort as “pathetic”.
“That is actually pathetic, for your top player, your talisman. Five minutes into the game. He doesn’t have an injury. He’s not fatigued. You’ve got a guy like Rory Darge killing himself around the field,” Horgan said.
“Then you’ve got your best player performing like that. There’s no way any team can win consistently if you’ve got players doing that.
“It’s like what France were doing in their dark ages. That’s gone out of the French team. You’d never see a Springbok doing that. You’d never see an All Black doing that.
“If Finn Russell counts himself as a really top player, have a look at the best players of the last ten years.
“Look at the Brian O’Driscoll’s, the generational players, the Dan Carter’s, the Jonny Wilkinson’s. They were so hard working. That was pathetic.”
Likewise, Kearney came out swinging at the 29-year-old playmaker, whose work rate he described as “humiliating”.
“When that comes up on the big screen in front of your teammates, and your indirectly saying, ‘I don’t really care about this team. I’m not going to work as hard as I can.’ That’s not good enough. It’s humiliating.”
In light of those comments, Parsons has moved to defend Hogg and Russell from their Irish critics, whose words he said were “really uncalled for”.
Speaking on the Aotearoa Rugby Pod, Parsons said he was unsure how Hogg’s quality as a player could be called into question over a knock on from a pass that he suggested should not have been made by Harris.
The former two-test rake added that it was “unfair” to use previous matches that Russell has failed to fire in as a critique from the weekend’s fixture.
“It just shows how, I suppose, ruthless and fickle it can be, this game,” Parsons told the Aotearoa Rugby Pod of Horgan and Kearney’s comments about Hogg and Russell.
“We celebrated them, the new style, the new way they’ve brought to Scottish rugby and their ability to do special things, and then the one game it doesn’t come off, they resort back to saying things about these players from their past.
“It’s easy to resort back to talking about effort with Finn Russell when he’s had the chequered history that he’s had, but I think it’s unfair to say that now.
“I don’t know how you can have a crack at Stuart Hogg. He’s still in my [RugbyPass Six Nations] Dream Team. One knock on does not change that man and the ticker he has for Scotland.
“I think it’s really uncalled for, and almost feels like someone’s waiting to have a crack.”
Although Crusaders and Maori All Blacks halfback Bryn Hall agreed with Parsons and brandished Horgan and Kearney’s comments as “poor”, he said their words are reflective of how there is now an expectation for Scotland to win important matches.
Hall told the Aotearoa Rugby Pod that was not the case a few years ago, and said that is a good thing for Scottish rugby as it illustrates how much the nation has developed in recent times.
“What I do think, though, Jip, which is probably good for Scottish rugby, is that the expectation is that they should be winning those games,” Hall said in response to Parsons.
“It’s the growth that they’ve had with [head coach Gregor] Townsend and the growth that they’ve had in their squad that, like we’ve said, five of those teams can win the Six Nations championship with the rugby that they’re playing.
“I agree with you, Jip, it’s poor to [question] the effort of Finn Russell, who obviously had just one [bad] game. Stuart Hogg, probably nine times out of 10 catches that ball, score a try and it could be different moving forward in that game.
“I just think it’s good for Scotland rugby for the fact that the expectation that is that they should be winning these games. We talked about last week, the week before, they should have won that game against Wales.
“I just think it’s good for Scottish rugby that the expectation is, ‘You know what, we should be winning these games that we were just not participating in, you probably would have thought, five or six years ago’.”
Comments on RugbyPass
True Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
21 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
10 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
78 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
21 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
10 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
2 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
3 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
3 Go to commentsIs Barrett going play full back??? They already have all the centers…
16 Go to commentsForgive my ignorance, I might not fully understand so would appreciate clarification: Didn’t the Bulls have to fly with three different carriers, paid for by the South African Rugby Union, whilst Edinburgh got a chartered flight sponsored by EPCR? Also, as far as I understand it South African teams don’t yet share in the revenue from the competition and are not allowed to host Semi-finals or Finals at home. Surely if everyone wants South Africans to “take the competition seriously” then they must make South Africans feel welcome, allow them to share in the revenue, and give them the same levels of access as the teams from the other countries. Just a reminder that South Africa has a large and passionate Rugby audience. Just by virtue of our teams being a part of these competitions means that more of us are likely to watch the knockout games, even if our teams haven’t qualified. It would be silly to alienate such a large audience by making them feel unwelcome.
21 Go to commentsFirst of all. This guy is very much behind the curve. All the bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning took place days ago already. Not adding anything to the topic other than more bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning. 🍼 Second of all, not one mention of the fact that South African teams can’t get home semi finals or finals. The tournament was undermined and devalued by the administrators. 🤡 Thirdly, football teams often have to juggle selections in mid week games, premier games, champions league games etc. and will from time to time prioritize certain titles over others. 🐒 And lastly FEK Neil, and anyone else for that matter, for insisting on telling teams how to manage themselves. If they make what is largely a business decision that suits them and doesn’t suit you - tough shite. 💩 It’s not rocket science as to why the Bulls did what they did. If this guy is too slow to figure it out (and is deliberately not mentioning one of the key reasons why) then he isn’t a journalist. He should join the rest of us pundit plebs in comments section. 🥴
21 Go to commentsSo the first door to knock on Rob is Parliament followed by HMRC. The Irish Revenue deliver a 40% tax relief rebate on the HIGHEST EARNING TEN YEARS of every pro Irish rugby players contract earnings at retirement. That goes a long way to both retaining their best talent and freeing up wages for marquee players. Who knows, if that had been in place in the UK, you might not have been able to poach Hoggy and Jonny Gray from Glasgow…!!!
3 Go to comments1. True, if that “free” ticket means access to all but the prized exhibit - EVIP only. SA cannot host semis, even if they’ve earned it (see Sharks vs ASM Clermont Auvergne at… Twickenham Stoop). 2. Why no selective outrage over Lyon doing the exact same thing a week earlier? Out of all the countries France send the most “B teams”, why nobody talking about “disrespect” and “prioritising domestic leagues” and “kicking them out”? 3. Why no mention of the Sharks fielding all of their Springboks for the second rate Challenge cup QF? No commitment? 4. Why no mention of all the SA teams qualifying for respective euro knock out comps in the two seasons they’ve been in it? How many euro teams have qualified for KO’s in their history? Can’t compete? 5. Why no mention of SA teams beating French and English giants La Rochelle and Saracens? How many euro teams have done that in their history? Add no quality? The fact is that SA teams are only in their second season in europe, with no status and a fraction of the resources. Since joining the URC, SA has seen a repatriation of a number of players, and this will only grow once SA start sharing in the profits of competing in these comps, meaning bigger squads with greater depth and quality, meaning they don’t have to prioritise comps as they have to now - they don’t have imports from Pacifica and South America and everywhere else in between like “European” teams have - also less “Saffas” in Prem and T14, that’s what we want right? 'If the South Africans are in, they need to be all in' True, and we have to ensure we give them the same status and resources as we give everyone else to do just that. A small compromise on scheduling will go a long way in avoiding these situations, but guess what, France and England wont compromise on scheduling because they ironically… prioritise their domestic comps, go figure!
21 Go to comments