Final hurdle holds no fears for upbeat Hogg
Warrior knows Scots more than capable of Italy win
STUART Hogg, a two-time player of the Six Nations Championship, believes winning in Italy will be enough regardless of where Scotland finish in the final table.
The team are aiming to complete back-to-back championship campaigns with three wins for the first time since the competition became a six-team tournament and, while bonus points and points difference could yet decide every position from second to second bottom, that is their target.
“We’re just concentrating on getting the victory and if we do that then we are three from five and we give ourselves an opportunity to finish as high up as we possibly can,” said the full-back.
“We want to win titles and this time last week we were very much in the situation where we could do that, so we viewed the Ireland game as a semi-final and, unfortunately, we came up just short.
“We know we are more than capable of scoring tries and getting points on the board, but it won’t be easy.
“We are playing i nternational rugby and Italy are a quality team, they are always improving as well. It will be a hostile crowd, so it will be difficult for us but if we concentrate and play as well as we know we can then I am more than confident we can win.”
Having won his individual player of the championship awards in each of the past two seasons, Hogg seems unlikely to make it a hat-trick since opponents are putting more emphasis on ensuring that he is not given time and room.
However, he claimed to be very happy with both his own form and the opportunities the attention that is being paid to him have provided for some of his team-mates.
“I’ve maybe not made the breaks that everyone’s used to so people say I’m having a stinker, but I’m fairly happy with the way I’m playing, I’ve done what I have to do,” he said.
“Obviously, I’d love to be making these clean breaks but Huw Jones seems to be stealing them all off me.”
He suggested that accepting that is part of the process of growing up as a player.
“If I have not had the ball for a while and they kick to me it is not trying to get an absolute belter of a line-break or a try, it is doing the correct thing for the team,” said Hogg.
“That is something I’ve learned over the last few years, there is a time or a place. Me trying to keep the ball in play as much as I can is all well and good, but the boys up-front might be knackered so it is sometimes about getting the carrot in front of the donkey with a clever kicking game. It is about being mature.”
That has extended to taking on more responsibility by taking on line kicking duties, which he is relishing, adding: “It gets me involved in the game and takes a little bit pressure off Finn. The kicking game is a real strength of mine, so I want to put myself forward to help out the team. I’m enjoying the responsibility and hopefully it continues.”