HOGG HAILS NEW SPORTING MOOD

STUART HOGG believes Scotland now have both a national football and rugby team of which they can be justifiably proud after Saturday’s narrow defeat to the All Blacks. The nation would have savoured the ultimate sporting weekend if Vern Cotter’s men had beaten the All Blacks for the first time in history after Gordon Strachan’s side defeated the Republic of Ireland on Friday. But after a spirited performance saw them fall just short, full-back Hogg insisted Scotland are moving in the right direction after four wins out of six under Cotter. ‘The football and the rugby is brilliant just now,’ he said. ‘In the past, we’ve had negative feedback and have always been the teams out there making up the numbers. But now we’re both going the right way. ‘I watched the game on Friday night and I think, in general, we’re looking at what it actually means to pull on a Scotland jersey. ‘It means a hell of a lot to every one of us and we’re actually putting in performances now that show we are proud of playing for this country. ‘Rugby wise, it’s great we’ve got young boys in the squad just now and, hopefully, if they can all stay fit, it will be a good team for years to come. ‘There’s a lot of hard work to be done but we set the bar high against Argentina and it’s all about raising it further and being the best rugby nation team we can possibly be. ‘I’d love the Six Nations to be happening now because the boys are in a very good place, but there’s a lot to happen before then, including a massive Test against Tonga. I’m gutted with the All Blacks result but excited about next week already.’ Mark Bennett has been ruled out of a dream return to Kilmarnock for the final viagogo Autumn Test after injuring his hamstring against the All Blacks. The Irvine-born centre, who went to school in the Ayrshire town and played amateur rugby for Cumnock and then Ayr before signing for Clermont Auvergne, was forced off after just 13 minutes on Saturday. Glasgow Warriors star Bennett had previously described how running out at Rugby Park would mean just as much to him as playing at BT Murrayfield, but SRU medical chiefs insist the 21-year-old former St Joseph’s Academy pupil won’t have recovered in time. His absence opens the door for Sean Lamont to win his 91st cap in a centre pairing with Alex Dunbar. Fitness tests will also be carried out today on Alasdair Dickinson, Dunbar, Adam Ashe, Blair Cowan, Richie Gray, Ross Ford, Tommy Seymour, Greig Laidlaw and Euan Murray.