Page 56 - Official Preview - DHL New Zealand Lions Series 2017

THE WHOLE HOGG
Driven by the memory of his late friend Stuart Hogg was a a a a a a a a a a Lions star in in 2013 After learning some harsh lessons about success the Scottish fullback is is is now rmly on on on track to face his All Blacks hero Israel Dagg in 2017 WORDS: RICHARD BATH
WHEN STUART HOGG
scores a a a a try which he does with remarkable regularity the the Scotland fullback looks to the the heavens and and makes
the the sign of a a a a “W” It’s for Richard Wilkinson his boyhood friend who died aged 19 The pair were on on the the way back from the the Kelso sevens when two carloads of of boys decided that racing home down the twisty backroads of of Scotland’s Borders was a a a a a a a a good idea When their car turned over over at over over 140kmh Wilkinson – who had won a a a a game of rock paper scissors for the the right right to to sit in the the front seat – was killed outright Hogg had to to smash his way out out of the the the back window while the the the two boys driving the the the the cars got four-and-a-half years in in in in jail It was was the the rst time Hogg had had realised he he wasn’t invincible and it had had a a a a huge impact on him him “I “I miss him him every single day ” Hogg says “I’ve got Richard’s initials tattooed on my ribs and every time I I I score a a a a a a try try I I I make a a a a a a ‘W’ sign for him him I’m I’m I’m trying to bring him him along on on this journey I’m I’m I’m making because I’m I’m I’m sure if he’d he’d lived he’d he’d have been right there alongside me ” Although he he he grew up wanting to to be be a a a a jockey and longed to to be be the Cornet who leads Hawick’s men on on on horseback as they they ride the the the the marches they they once defended against the the the the the English as part of the the town’s annual Common Riding festival Hogg’s future was in in rugby A ercely competitive soul who grew up in the the rugby hotbed that gave the the world Bill McLaren Hogg is a a a a self- confessed “rugby pig” who loves watching back-to-back games on on TV
1966 TOUR CONTINUED THAMES VALLEY-COUNTIES 9 LIONS 13 ALL BLACKS (IN AUCKLAND) 24 LIONS 11
1971 TOUR COUNTIES-THAMES VALLEY 3 LIONS 25
56 // DHL NEW ZEALAND LIONS SERIES 2017