FUTURE’S BRIGHT
By his own electric standards Stuart Hogg has had a quiet Natwest Six Nations and is unlikely to make it three player of the tournaments in a row but the star Scotland full-back believes his form is in solid, if less eyecatching, shape than the previous two years.
There was a high-profile error in Dublin at the weekend with that poor pass to Blair Kinghorn in the second half of the 28-8 defeat to eventual champions Ireland and a noticeable lack of the kind of searing breaks which lit up the past two campaigns.
No tries so far either for the top scorer in the current squad, with the 15-cap centre Huw Jones creeping up to lie just seven behind the Hawick man’s 17 in 59 appearances for his country.
However, Hogg is happy with his overall contribution to a competition which has seen Scotland win two and lose two, believing that the development of Gregor Townsend’s ultra-attacking gameplan means that the onus is no longer on him alone to sprinkle the magic dust.
“I’ve loved it,” said Hogg yesterday when asked how he felt his own individual Six Nations has gone. “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 in the games.
“Obviously, I’d love to be making these clean breaks but Huw Jones seems to be stealing them all off me!”
Jones denied Hogg his 18th Test try at the weekend with another poor pass when the full-back had a stroll under the posts there for the taking. The 25-year-old Lion believes the events at the Aviva Stadium will prove a valuable learning experience as the Scots build towards the 2019 World Cup.
“Everybody makes mistakes,” said Hogg. “That pass I should have put Blair [Kinghorn] in in the corner but we were very fortunate to get another opportunity straight
“I think we’re going in the right direction. The way we try to play – quick tempo, keep the ball in play for long periods of time, back our fitness – we’re going to win games” “The boys are aware that individually they have made mistakes. Forusnowitisthe chance to learn and improve”
STUART HOGG