Million-dollar baby: Hogg out to prove Euro worth ahead of big-money move
“Europe does not come easy and we are fully aware of that. It all depends how we go this weekend. We have won one just now, and if we win two from two over the next couple of weeks against Lyon we will be in a better place than we are now. We are dying to qualify from Europe but we have to beat Lyon to help make that happen.”
Hogg’s injury troubles have been such – a fractured eye socket, shoulder reconstruction, and a torn abdominal muscle among the more serious problems, along with ankle surgery this season – that his availability has almost become a bonus as head coach Dave Rennie him a bit of ball, but even his ability to kick and give you field position is massive. He’s a pretty special player.”
There is not the slightest concern that Hogg will give anything less than his best in his last few months, the coach suggesting that all concerned will benefit from knowing where things stand.
“I think it’s often easier when guys make up their minds early. They stop stressing about what next year looks like and they can just focus on doing a good job now,” Rennie reckoned.
“He has been here a lot of years and he’s got a lot of good mates here. He’s desperate to go out on a high note and contribute to that. We are more than comfortable.
“It’s not the situation that because he’s leaving were starting to promote other guys to look for the future. We have a world-class player in Hoggy and we are keen to use him.”
Having played more games for Scotland than for Glasgow since Rennie arrived, there is, then, an impression that Hogg believes he owes his coach and team-mates something in what time remains before making that big-money move south of the Border.
“I am just looking forward to playing for Glasgow,” he said. “I want to show Dave what I am all about and really put my stamp on the Glasgow jersey.”
Meanwhile, Alex Allan faces a disciplinary hearing today and has been banned for three weeks after his red card against Scarlets last week.
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