Player Review Stuart Hogg
Over the past 4 years Scottish rugby utility back Stuart Hogg has built a reputation of being not only one of Scotland's but the Northern Hemisphere's best attacking threats.
Known well for his rapid side step and impressive kicking game the full back from Scottish borders town Hawick has achieved so much in a quick 4 years.
Stuart was tipped by the locals of the famous Scottish rugby town to go far in the game.
Stuart played throughout the Hawick Wanderers youth teams and made all the Scottish age group teams including the captaincy of the under 16's team.
Hogg was signed by the Warriors in late 2010 as an elite-development player and the coaching staff at Glasgow were to assess him for a year to check if he was worthy of a fulltime contract with the Scottish side.
Throughout his time in the elite-development programme Stuart impressed Glasgow head coach Sean Linnen and was awarded with a full time contract in September 2011.
After signing the contract Hogg said that he would be looking to cement his place in the Glasgow sqaud throughout the 2011-12 season. However fast forward to February 2012 at the Millennium stadium Hogg made his debut for the Scottish first team. The week before Stuart scored a 60 metre try for the Scottish A side against England. Against Wales Hogg came on for Max Evans as a 17 minute replacement and impressed a lot when on the pitch. Stepping experienced internationals when catching a high ball. Hogg later on in the match scored a perfectly good try that was to only be judged as a knock on by the referee, who admitted after the match he was wrong.
A week later Hogg scored his first try for Scotland at a jampacked Murrayfield. Although Scotland were given the wooden spoon that year Hogg was a reason for all of Scottish rugby to have a glimmer of hope for their tough November 2012 internationals against New Zealand and South Africa.
After again impressing for Glasgow throughout the Rabo Direct Pro12 and Heineken 2012-2013 season Hogg was again picked for Scotland and this time impressing even more scoring 2 tries, one being a length of the pitch dash against Italy and a great performance at Twickenham against England.
After being voted by the public as the second best player of the 2013 six Nations in the summer of 2013 Hogg was called up for the British and Irish Lions. Although Hogg didn't play in any of the three test's against Australia he impressed when playing in friendlies against Australian club teams. Hogg found himself playing at flyhalf for one of the matches and scored a try in which he showed very impressive spacial awareness.
Over Stuart Hogg's so far short but busy career we have found out that throughout the start of the seasons he struggles but improves I'm the December period when he needs to impress for Six Nations selection, although he is now a Scotland mainstay.
In the 2013-2014 Six Nations Hogg once again proved he was a world class kicker from hand however he didn't quite show that attacking prowess from previous years. In the last game of the Six Nations 2014 at the Millennium Stadium he was sent off in the 17th minute(the same time he came on to make his debut at the same stadium, coincidence?).
Although since the time of writing Hogg has not yet played since after a three week ban, I believe Stuart Hogg will become one of the greatest Fullbacks of all time for Scotland. I would like to in the future see him play in the center's so he can be given more ball closer to the gain line.
Scout rating:
Passing: 8/10
Speed: 8.5/10
Stamina: 8/10
Step: 9/10
Kicking: 9.5/10
Defense: 7.5
Article by Joseph James
follow on twitter for football and rugby match reviews and player profiles
josephjamesy00
Over the past 4 years Scottish rugby utility back Stuart Hogg has built a reputation of being not only one of Scotland's but the Northern Hemisphere's best attacking threats.
Known well for his rapid side step and impressive kicking game the full back from Scottish borders town Hawick has achieved so much in a quick 4 years.
Stuart was tipped by the locals of the famous Scottish rugby town to go far in the game.
Stuart played throughout the Hawick Wanderers youth teams and made all the Scottish age group teams including the captaincy of the under 16's team.
Hogg was signed by the Warriors in late 2010 as an elite-development player and the coaching staff at Glasgow were to assess him for a year to check if he was worthy of a fulltime contract with the Scottish side.
Throughout his time in the elite-development programme Stuart impressed Glasgow head coach Sean Linnen and was awarded with a full time contract in September 2011.
After signing the contract Hogg said that he would be looking to cement his place in the Glasgow sqaud throughout the 2011-12 season. However fast forward to February 2012 at the Millennium stadium Hogg made his debut for the Scottish first team. The week before Stuart scored a 60 metre try for the Scottish A side against England. Against Wales Hogg came on for Max Evans as a 17 minute replacement and impressed a lot when on the pitch. Stepping experienced internationals when catching a high ball. Hogg later on in the match scored a perfectly good try that was to only be judged as a knock on by the referee, who admitted after the match he was wrong.
A week later Hogg scored his first try for Scotland at a jampacked Murrayfield. Although Scotland were given the wooden spoon that year Hogg was a reason for all of Scottish rugby to have a glimmer of hope for their tough November 2012 internationals against New Zealand and South Africa.
After again impressing for Glasgow throughout the Rabo Direct Pro12 and Heineken 2012-2013 season Hogg was again picked for Scotland and this time impressing even more scoring 2 tries, one being a length of the pitch dash against Italy and a great performance at Twickenham against England.
After being voted by the public as the second best player of the 2013 six Nations in the summer of 2013 Hogg was called up for the British and Irish Lions. Although Hogg didn't play in any of the three test's against Australia he impressed when playing in friendlies against Australian club teams. Hogg found himself playing at flyhalf for one of the matches and scored a try in which he showed very impressive spacial awareness.
Over Stuart Hogg's so far short but busy career we have found out that throughout the start of the seasons he struggles but improves I'm the December period when he needs to impress for Six Nations selection, although he is now a Scotland mainstay.
In the 2013-2014 Six Nations Hogg once again proved he was a world class kicker from hand however he didn't quite show that attacking prowess from previous years. In the last game of the Six Nations 2014 at the Millennium Stadium he was sent off in the 17th minute(the same time he came on to make his debut at the same stadium, coincidence?).
Although since the time of writing Hogg has not yet played since after a three week ban, I believe Stuart Hogg will become one of the greatest Fullbacks of all time for Scotland. I would like to in the future see him play in the center's so he can be given more ball closer to the gain line.
Scout rating:
Passing: 8/10
Speed: 8.5/10
Stamina: 8/10
Step: 9/10
Kicking: 9.5/10
Defense: 7.5
Article by Joseph James
follow on twitter for football and rugby match reviews and player profiles
josephjamesy00