Stuart Hogg’s Lions tour is over, it has been announced this morning.
He sustained a facial injury on Saturday midway through the first half of the British and Irish Lions victory over the Crusaders in Christchurch. It occurred chasing a high ball and running into Lions scrum-half Conor Murray’s elbow. Murray was raising his arms in an attempt to signal he was not interfering in play, and the clash was a freak accident.
Hogg’s speed perhaps did for him, a slower man would have sustained less of an impact!
The injury was checked by a specialist in New Zealand before the decision was made, and it deprives the Lions of one of their key attacking threats on a tour which has so far seen a dearth of inspirational back play.
Hogg will now return to Glasgow and watch the remainder of the tour from home. I am sure he is gutted, as are Scotland fans who saw him as the best chance of a Lions Test starter since Tom Smith all the way back in 2001. Tommy Seymour and Greig Laidlaw remain to fly the flag for Scotland and are both involved in the match against the Highlanders as we speak (10-10 at half time).
13 responses
Hogg is out of the Lions tour, such a shame to leave in such unlucky circumstances and without the full opportunity to showcase his skills. Unless Seymour pulls a hat trick of tries out of the bag this evening,my interest in this tour is going to be as a casual observer only!
Well at least Tommy got one third of a hat-trick today. No idea of how he played overall because I’ve no access to Sky right now, am unable to understand Welsh language radio coverage, and BBC HYS is dominated by England and Wales fans swapping competing versions of their ideal Test back three comprising only England and Wales players. Can anyone say how Tommy got on today apart from his try?
Not great. Got schooled by Naholo, but I’m not sure he did any worse than the other Lions wingers.
The radio commentary is on Talksport if you can get access through a computer or your phone. I had the same problem trying to understand Welsh last week!
Unfortunately he got showed up in defence a few times and also under the high ball, strangely enough. That is usually one of his perceived strengths.
No chance of a test spot.
Thanks, guys, for the update on Tommy S today and for the tip on accessing Talksport via the web. Feels like Tommy needs a total blinder in the hopefully one more start he will get before the first Test to have any chance of making the Test side. Apart from Watson, who imho did a very good job on for Hoggy last Saturday, none of the other wings has stood out so far on this tour. I wonder what Gatland and Howley were thinking watching some outstanding passages of Scotland play in that Singapore sauna last week? No, don’t answer that please!
At least its not a mobility injury, and he can come away with his reputation in tact – I suspect by the end of the series many B&I players will be hurt, exhausted and mentally shot to pieces – I cant see where or how the lions can beat the blacks and I think some players will leave with the mental fragility of knowing that they are not quite good enough.
He may not think it or ever realise it, but getting some downtime and having a renewed hunger to prove a point will only benefit him in the long-run and by extension, Glasgow and Scotland
And he is still young enough to potentially make a third tour…
Exactly. And, further to my comment on TS above, I think he won’t be undermined by what I imagine is a limited coaching environment. They certainly don’t seem to be getting that much out of previously high-performing players.
Tommy had a torrid time today apart from the superb try, no chance of a test spot even though the other wingers will likely fare no better against wingers of that quality. Nowt left to do but cheer on the All Blacks now.
By the way the big lump Haskell was pish again, a nonsense he was called up ahead of one of our number 7s.
Hogg will have made good money from the tour already, so good that he can get a proper rest at home now and be ready for Glasgow/Scotland next season. He wasn’t going to improve his game or enhance his reputation playing in that Lions back line anyway with all the kicking from scrum half.
Gutted for Hogg, absolutely gutted. He would have been desperate to do well in a Lions jersey as it is obviously something that means a huge amount to the players involved, something that doesn’t always get appreciated by fans back home.
Hope he has a speedy recovery and comes back in good form.
Know this isn’t the right place, but looking forward to seeing finlay Christie play for the chiefs tomorrow. Two Scottish scrum halves facing each other. Surprised that no media outlet has mentioned this.
Fin Christie might be born in Scotland but reports suggest his ambition is to play for the All Blacks…which is a bummer.