No Hawick return for Stuart Hogg as famous green jersey will stay off his back

Hawick's Stuart Hogg tackles Malcolm Clapperton during a match against Boroughmuir at Meggetland in 2010. Pic Ian Rutherford

No-one could question Stuart Hogg’s love of Hawick but the former Scotland full-back will not be pulling on the famous green jersey again.

Hogg, 31, revealed last month that he had been forced to concede defeat in his bid to play at a third Rugby World Cup as he announced his retirement with immediate effect. He said his body would no longer allow him to reach the high standards he had set himself. There had been speculation that he might turn out for Hawick again, the club at which he burst on to the scene as a lightning quick teenager and where his father John and brother Graham are still involved. But Hogg said it wouldn’t be happening.

“Absolutely not! My dad and brother are involved at the club and I think I said for a laugh I’d don the green jersey again at some point but I don’t think that’ll be happening,” said Hogg. “My brother’s the backs coach and said I’m going to have to train on a Tuesday or Thursday to be selected so I can’t commit to that!”

Reflecting on a career that began at Mansfield Park and saw him win 100 caps, become Scotland’s all time top try-scorer and play on three Lions tours, Hogg said it was hard to comprehend. “All I ever wanted to do as a kid was play for Hawick and play for Scotland. To have done it 100 times ... I’ve not really had the chance to sit back and reflect on my career because I’ve been very much living in the moment, and there might be a stage when I’ll sit down and look back but I don’t know if or when that’ll be.”