Hogg still haunted by horror of All Blacks loss
Live-wire Scottish fullback Stuart Hogg is still being haunted by his inability to score a last-gasp try to break his country’s 112-year drought against the All Blacks.
Hogg hasn’t played since the heartbreaking 22-17 loss in late November because of a hip injury.
But he’s tortured himself by watching ‘‘far too many’’ replays of the gripping test in Edinburgh where he had a late opportunity to score a breakaway try but was tracked down and shunted into touch by desperate All Blacks star Beauden Barrett.
Hogg, who had beaten three defenders, threw an in-pass to try to keep the daring movement alive but the ball went forward and the full time whistle blew.
In an interview with the BBC this week, Hogg admitted he had watched the game ‘‘all the time’’ as he rehabbed and looked at ways there could have been a better outcome for the unlucky Scots who haven’t beaten the All Blacks in 31 tests since 1905.
‘‘It kills me because the amount of different times I’ve looked at it and seen what I could do a little bit different is frustrating me big time ... especially when you have an injury and can’t make up for it,’’ said Hogg who hopes to be fit for Scotland’s Six Nations campaign.
‘‘I’ve watched it far too many times and every single time I watch it I’ll think back to what could have been ... if Beauden Barrett hadn’t bumped me into touch I could have scored or whatever. It has been a bit difficult.
‘‘I think the main thing from that is I’ll learn from it and if I get the same situation I can have a better outcome.’’
Hogg was being interviewed by former England outside back Ugo Monye who dryly noted that he had ‘‘never been in a position to score a winning try against New Zealand’’ himself.
The coincidence wasn’t lost on Hogg, who replied: ‘‘That’s the thing, neither have we.’’
Hogg said he had come up with several alternative scenarios in his painful review process.
‘‘I could have stepped him [Barrett] a little bit earlier, I could have taken the tackle and set up another phase or whatever.
‘‘But I thought I could get there and I’ve always been one for backing my abilities.
‘‘On another day I could get that fend a little bit better and I might have scored.
‘‘Obviously it wasn’t meant to be but hopefully I can make up for it when I’m back.’’
Hogg’s bad luck continued the following week when he was a lastminute injury in the leadup to the test against Australia which the Scots won 53-24 to emphasise their building form under new coach Gregor Townsend.
It was a frustrating year for Hogg against New Zealand. He was a rare Scottish selection in the British and Irish Lions team for their tour and was seen as one of their main attacking threats.
But he suffered a facial fracture against the Crusaders a fortnight before the first test and was invalided home.
Hogg said he was now working to get over his latest setback.
‘‘Hopefully I’ll be back on the pitch in the next couple of weeks and ready to rock and roll again,’’ he told the BBC.
Scotland open their Six Nations season against Wales in Cardiff on February 3 and then host France.