Hogg: Retirement due to marriage, the “biggest mistake” of his rugby career

Stuart Hogg Reveals Mistake of Quitting Rugby to Save His Marriage

Scotland’s former captain, Stuart Hogg, has openly shared 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 tumultuous period away from the sport. In November 2024, the British and Irish Lions player admitted to having mistreated his wife Gillian, from whom he is separated. He was sentenced to a five-year non-harassment order and fined for violating bail by repeatedly contacting his ex-partner.

Hogg acknowledges having caused harm to the people around him, but has now managed to restore some stability in his life.

I missed the excitement, the outfits, the jokes. I missed rugby more than I ever imagined.

Stuart Hogg

Hogg explained that he abandoned his rugby career to try and save his marriage. At that moment, he felt lost, submerged in antidepressants and using alcohol as an escape route. It was his participation in the Doddie Aid cycle, which toured from Scotland to Rome, that marked a turning point. Upon returning, Hogg admitted to his father that he had made the biggest mistake of his life. Currently, he feels mentally better than in previous years, learning to be altruistic for the sake of his children, his partner, and his team. Hogg, who earned 100 caps with Scotland and participated in two Lions matches, underwent Achilles surgery in April and has yet to debut with Montpellier this season.