“These guys have something extra than the others”: Stuart Hogg showed great things on his debut with the MHR

Le sourire aux lèvres au moment de plonger dans l’en-but montpelliérain. – DORIAN CAYUELA

The Scottish full-back, who retired a year ago, played the entire opening match of the Top 14 against Lyon, with a try and great promise to his name.

Skin somewhat reddened by the Languedoc sun, an impatient Stuart Hogg made his debut at the GGL Stadium in the MHR jersey.

A year after his surprise retirement just a stone's throw from a World Cup he was supposed to play with Scotland, the explosive full-back is back on the rugby pitch. With the XV du Chardon, the former Exeter player experienced his greatest encounters, and left international rugby as a centurion (100 caps) and the memory of two titles of “Best Player of the Six Nations Tournament” in 2016 and 2017.

After his early retirement at 31 and his troubles with the law, the MHR took a gamble, kilt or double, to revive one of the most talented three-quarters of the last decade.

Facing LOU on Saturday, “Hoggy” lined up at the back, quickly forgot the blues of a preparation which saw him injure his calf. After a breakthrough by Madosh Tambwe, another new recruit, the very available Scot was in support inside and the former British Lion made the Montpellier public roar for the first time this season by diving into the long in-goal area of ​​the Hérault club's lair (15th).

Read also: MHR-Lyon: “We don't come out unscathed from what we've experienced”, “I'm not worried about what's to come”… reactions after the Montpellier defeat

Voluntary, with ants in legs, Stuart Hogg, 32, has rediscovered the desire of his debut. “Today, I had the impression of seeing a kid of 18 or 20, who put a lot of energy into the group, notes Joan Caudullo, head coach of the MHR. He is an international level player, even if it has been a long time since he played. These guys, they have something more than the others."

At the back or at the opening ?

Enterprising, with 74 meters gained with the ball in hand, it is the length of his kicking game that has also done the Montpellier collective good.
"He has a big kick, we feel that he has enormous experience, he is a good example for us, he will bring us a lot", notes Thomas Darmon, who saw his full-back switch to the opening for the last 25 minutes.

Read also: “At this level, it's complicated”: MHR lacked too many things to beat Lyon in the opening of the Top 14

“He animates the line well, he communicates a lot and above all, he is listened to”, praises Caudullo. An option that the Hérault staff could try again for the next matches while the only two other specialists in the position, Thomas Vincent and Domingo Miotti, do not have great references at this level.

Sometimes the author of a few clumsinesses at the end of the match, by overplaying a little, after 80 minutes of play for his return, Stuart Hogg showed that he could be prickly as the thistle. It is up to him to show in the future that he resists everything, like the cistus.