How Stuart Hogged the headlines aged 16
ONE minute his cousin was looking to borrow his boots, the next he was wearing them himself and making waves in senior rugby aged just 16.
Stuart Hogg will never forget the Berwick Sevens on April 19, 2009 that is for sure.
At the time there were murmurs going around the Borders that there was a teenager who had come through the Hawick youth ranks and showing real promise.
He was also into his football and horse riding at the time, but a surprise introduction to senior rugby on the famous Borders Kings Sevens circuit kick-started a journey that now sees Hogg leading his country and having 76 Scotland caps plus two British & Irish Lions tours under his belt.
“I remember it very well because it was the day after my brother Graham and the Hawick boys had won the Hawick Sevens at Mansfield Park,” Hogg, now 27 and starring for Exeter, recounts about the day 11 years ago.
“My cousin Craig (Rodgerson) had come to the house on the Sunday morning and wanted to borrow my boots for the Berwick tournament that day.
“His team, Hawick YM, needed extra bodies for the squad and he convinced me to head down to Scremerston with him to play.
“That was the time that everything kicked off for me really, it was a cracking day.
“I played for the YM and once they were knocked out of the tournament (in the last eight) I was pulled into the Hawick squad because they got an injury and it was brilliant to be able to wear the green jersey in a senior event, every young boy from the town dreams of doing that.” Hogg, below, made an instant impact for Hawick, scoring a try in their 34-12 quarter-final win over Berwick. And although Hawick were edged out in the semi-final by Melrose 14-12 in an event eventually won by
Watsonians, it was Hogg who had grabbed the headlines.
From there his career moved on apace with Scotland age-grade sides, Hawick and Heriot’s before he made his full Glasgow Warriors debut in February 2011.
“I often think back to that day at Berwick 11 years ago with a smile. I loved taking on older guys and challenging myself and it left me wanting more of it.”