HOGG THE COMIC IS CAPTAIN SENSIBLE
FEELING THE HEAT, SKIPPER?
18 Hogg has scored a total of 18 tries for Scotland and amassed 60 caps since making his international debut at 19 against Wales back in 2012
From self-confessed squad clown to Scotland captain. It is a journey that has seen Stuart Hogg amass 60 caps and go on two British and Irish Lions tours.
Throw in no little domestic success with Glasgow Warriors and it is clear that, since making his international debut back in 2012 aged just 19, the talented full-back has packed in a lot.
Still only 25, Hogg will now add another chapter to his career against the USA this weekend.
‘Captaining Scotland for the first time is up there with anything I have achieved in the game,’ said Hogg as he relaxed in the team hotel in Houston.
‘At times in the past, I’d be the class clown with Scotland, jumping around and trying to scare everybody in the squad. This week, though, I’ve taken a little step back from that and tried to be as sensible as I possibly can.
‘I’ve just been concentrating on this game against the USA, right from monday. You might think that might not be the case in other weeks, but this week I have just taken a little step up.
‘I’m really excited for this game and to have the opportunity to lead the boys out is really special and something that I’ll hopefully never forget.
‘It is a long time since I have been a captain. The last time was with Scotland Under-18s. It’s something that I never thought would come to me but in terms of something else I can add to the list of milestones, this is perfect.
‘I would not be captain if Gregor Townsend did not believe in me, so I am very much looking forward to that and repaying the faith he showed in me. I feel I have grown up and I am ready to be captain.
‘I am looking to go out and have the best performance in a Scotland jersey that I can. Hopefully, we can come away with a good win.’
For all his success in the game, Hogg is not getting ahead of himself when it comes to thinking he will go on to lead his country on a regular basis.
‘I will just concentrate on this game and doing it to the best of my ability,’ he continued. ‘I try to lead by example but in terms of other games in the future, there are terrific leaders within this squad and you can see that in the last few captains that we’ve had.
‘I’ll always be here to pitch in when needed. I have been a member of the Scotland leaders’ group for a long time. If I do get the opportunity to captain again, I’ll make the most of it.’
Since he was told a few weeks ago that he would be leading the side, Hogg has turned for advice to his former skippers for both club and country.
‘Gregor (Townsend) told me to keep it a secret that I was going to be captain but I told a couple of people,’ he admitted.
‘I told Greig (Laidlaw) and got his advice and had a good chat with Al Kellock, too, the best captain I ever played under. I had a good chat with him again yesterday.
‘Al has given me a huge amount of confidence going into this game and if I can take a little bit from him, from Greig, from Barcs (John Barclay), these boys, I will be in a good place against the USA.
‘I have certainly enjoyed being captain this week and it is a new experience. I’ve been speaking a little bit more than what I’d normally be. It’s good, though, because there are other leaders within the squad.
‘I’ve asked a lot of Peter Horne this week to help me out. He’s a terrific player and gets his points across incredibly well. Boys like him, boys like Grant Gilchrist have helped, too.
‘I’ve even asked the young boys, in terms of George Horne and Adam Hastings, to get involved as well. They’ve really helped me out. Everybody’s trained well and we’re in a good place ahead of the match.’
Hogg admitted having the chance to captain his country may never have come about if he had decided to leave Glasgow Warriors back in 2014 and sign for Ulster behind the back of Townsend, who was his club coach at the time.
‘It scares me to think about that,’ said the man from Hawick. ‘In terms of the relationship I would have with Gregor, we probably wouldn’t have one if I had moved away.
‘Everybody makes mistakes. I was young. I was getting pushed to go there.
‘For me, I would probably have burnt all the bridges with Gregor I possibly could by going to Ulster... and would I be sitting here as Scotland captain? Probably not.
‘It is these experiences in life that make you re-evaluate and I believe I am in the best place I possibly can be.
‘I am sitting here in front of you as Scotland captain. I am buzzing for it — I can’t wait.’
Hogg’s leadership skills could well be tested against the USA, if only in how he deals with those in the team who could be on edge.
For example, Townsend has dropped the bombshell that he will only be taking three specialist second-row forwards to the 2019 World Cup in Japan, with a fourth lock expected to also be proficient in the back row.
With the likes richie and Jonny Gray, Grant Gilchrist and rising star Scott Cummings all specialist locks, it means competition will be fierce for players such as Ben Toolis.
‘We will have to wait and see what happens,’ said Toolis, who starts against the USA. ‘If that is the case then we have to play hard as that makes it tougher to get selected. It will make it tight for spots.
‘I have to keep playing well and keep improving to make the World Cup, if that is the case.’