Stuart Hogg: A Rugby Legend’s Regret
Former Scotland captain Stuart Hogg has revealed that his retirement from rugby was an attempt to save his marriage, a decision he now considers the “biggest mistake of his life”. Hogg, who ended his career in 2023 at the age of 31, shortly before the World Cup of that same year, resumed playing in 2024 by signing for the French club Montpellier, after a turbulent period away from the sport. In November 2024, the British and Irish lion admitted to having mistreated his estranged wife, Gillian, and was sentenced to a five-year non-harassment order and fined for violating bail by repeatedly contacting his ex-partner.
Hogg explained that he stepped away from rugby to try and save his marriage. At that time, he didn’t know himself. The former player recounted that he was immersed in antidepressants and didn’t know what was happening in his life, whether he was making people happy or sad. He used alcohol to escape and simply existed. The “Doddie Aid” bike ride from Scotland to Rome changed everything. For the first time since he retired, he felt part of a team again. He went back and told his father: “I’ve made the biggest mistake of my life.” Hogg added that he is in a better place mentally than in years. He used to think that being selfish was a strength, but he took it too far and hurt people. Now he is learning to be selfless for the right reasons: for his children, his partner, and his team. He knows he will never be the same Stuart Hogg of old, but he is okay with that. He has found peace. Hogg, who won 100 matches with Scotland and participated in two tests with the Lions, underwent surgery for his Achilles tendon in April and has not yet played for Montpellier this season.I missed the excitement, the outfits, the jokes. I missed rugby more than I ever imagined.
Stuart Hogg
