Former Scotland captain Stuart Hogg is reportedly set to return to rugby, a year after announcing his retirement.
While Montpellier Herault, the French Top 14 club, has yet to make an official announcement, club president Mohed Altrad confirmed the deal during a press briefing on June 18 regarding next season’s coaching arrangements.
The 32-year-old full-back, who will celebrate his birthday next Monday, has signed a two-year contract with an option for an additional year, potentially extending his career past his 35th birthday, according to Altrad.
When questioned about the length of Hogg’s contract, Altrad said, “I think it’s three years – two years, plus one, it seems to me.”
Should the move materialize, Montpellier will be Hogg’s third senior club, following his tenures with Glasgow Warriors (2010-2019) and Exeter Chiefs (2019-2023), along with earlier stints at Ayr, Stirling County, Heriot’s, and Hawick.
Hogg’s former Glasgow and Scotland head coach, Gregor Townsend, has expressed support for Hogg’s decision to retire, stating, “He was obviously a fantastic rugby player who was in our World Cup training squad before he decided to retire. If he does come back, we wish him all the best.”
“Ego off the scale” – Joe Marler reveals four players he can’t stand
England prop Joe Marler is never afraid of sharing an opinion or two – especially when it’s about someone he doesn’t particularly like.
#1. Gavin Henson
These two have history. Henson was ruled out for a number of weeks in 2016 after Marler clattered the Welsh Prince off the ball.
The England prop was returning to rugby after a troubled 2015-16 season, that prompted the loosehead to take a break from the game in the summer missing England’s historic 3-0 whitewash of the Wallabies Down Under.
A story from Marler’s book shows the ego of Henson in 2005 was off the scale. Being told to hurry up with his hair by his captain Gareth Thomas, the playmaker showed his skipper little respect.H
enson’s reply to Thomas was: “Alf, your mother and father have come to watch you play today, but there are 72,000 out there who have come to watch me.”