Page 59 - Official Preview - DHL New Zealand Lions Series 2017

WEST COAST-BULLER 6 CANTERBURY 3 3 3 3 MARLBOROUGH-NELSON 12 ALL BLACKS (IN DUNEDIN) 3 3 3 3 LIONS LIONS LIONS LIONS 39 LIONS LIONS LIONS LIONS 14 LIONS LIONS LIONS LIONS 31 LIONS LIONS LIONS LIONS 9 9 DHL NEW ZEALAND LIONS SERIES 2017
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Now content at at work and home Hogg is is arguably the Six Nations’ most potent attacking player His combination of outright speed along with an an an an enviable change of of pace and an an an an ability to single out forwards lurking in in in the back division has yielded bucketfuls of tries – ve in in the the last four Tests at the the time of writing – and and has helped Vern Cotter and and and Jason O’Halloran turn Scotland into one of the most free-scoring sides in in in in world rugby If Hogg’s head-on tackling isn’t his strength he’s a a a a good cover tackler decent under the high ball and has a a a a a a a a huge boot But it’s his counter-attacking threat from deep that really marks him out he runs
KEY STATS BATTLE
Stuart Hogg Caps 51 Tries 16 Age 24 24 (25 on 24 24 June) Points 89
Team Glasgow Warriors Height 180cm
Weight 93kg
Win % 45 09
Ben Smith
Caps 60 Tries 27 Age 30 (31 on 1 1 June) Points 135
Team Highlanders Height 180cm
Weight 93kg
Win % 91 66
Israel Dagg Caps 61 Tries 24 Age 28 (29 on 6 June) Points 128
Team Crusaders Height 185cm
Weight 96kg
Win % 94 26
unstoppable support lines rarely fails to to cross the the gain line line and regularly ends Tests with the the highest number of metres made Even the famously quiet Vern Cotter gushed about him being an “incredibly talented individual ” As for Hogg his focus is is succeeding with the the the Lions which he he he he he he views as as the the the the pinnacle of the the the the game Asked last year whether he he he he he he he he wanted to to go go he he he he he he simply laughed “Who wouldn’t want want want want to to go?” he he he he said “But then I I want want want it all I I want want want to to be able to to look back and say that I really made the most of my rugby career ” His old pal Wilko would you sense approve FIVE GREAT SCOTTISH LIONS KEN SCOTLAND
A marvellously talented attacking fullback from the Heriot’s club Ken Scotland played in four of the six Tests on on the 1959 Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand including three against the All Blacks He was lauded a a a a a a er captaining the Lions against NZ Universities JIM TELFER
Borders schoolmaster
Jim Telfer would later go on on to become one of the greatest Scotland and and Lions coaches but as a a a player he was an unremittingly hard and dogged No 8 with a a a reverence for New Zealand rugby IAN McLAUCHLAN
The only Scot to play in all four Tests in the victorious 1971 Lions tour the teak-tough and ferociously t t t “Mighty Mouse” stood only 176cm tall yet remains
one of the most destructive scrummagers ever to to tour New Zealand He scored the decisive try in the rst Test of that tour GAVIN HASTINGS
The captain of the side in 1993 when he he scored 38 Test points Hastings
was a a a superb player who was rock solid
defensively a a marvellous counter-attacker and a a a a kicker of some note from either the the hand or or for goal GREGOR TOWNSEND
There were several Scots on the 1997 tour to South Africa but Townsend was easily the most in uential of them running the the show
from stand-o and and orchestrating the laceration of not just provincial defences but also of the Springboks PROFILE
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