“I’m flat out in the departures lounge, sleeping! I was devastated”
Many of the British & Irish Lions stars were reunited with their families in Jersey, where they are spending an isolation period before returning to England, Scotland and Wales. Stuart Hogg enjoyed seeing his children again, even with a ropey hangover.
A three-tour veteran, Hogg had his 2017 tour ended prematurely after he broke his cheekbone. Having been a young, impressionable tourist, back in 2013 [see below], he fully knew the lay of the land this summer.
Lions emerge from team hotel after celebrating victory. @StuartWHOGG_15 looks ready for the beach pic.twitter.com/ltKMCXvFB8
— Dan Roan (@danroan) July 7, 2013
There were no sessions in his Speedos in South Africa, which still has stringent lockdown measures in place, but Hogg was kitted out with a lovely Garryowen jersey for one of the team-bonding nights in.
Hogg joined Seán O’Brien, Adam Jones and Alex Goode on the latest House of Rugby Lions Series episode [LISTEN from 5:30 below], and not only named the tour’s three players that led the midweek session charges, but held his hand up on dropping the baton right at the end of the tour.
Stuart Hogg of the Lions argues with Springbok full back Willie le Roux during the 2nd Test. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)Hogg played fullback for the first two Tests of a series that the Lions ultimately lost 2-1 to South Africa.
Asked what Lions players were ‘leading the charge’ in the few midweek sessions in the team hotel, Hogg named three:
“Josh Navidi and Chris Harris have been quality. Jamie George has been absolutely outstanding. We gave him the captain of the bin-juice honour for the last couple of weeks, and he just kept spirits high, especially when it did get tough and you weren’t playing in the big games.
“We had a fair amount of golf outings in the last week, and a fair amount of bevvy hidden away in boys’ rooms.”
Hogg dropped out of the match-day 23 for the deciding Test match against the Springboks. He was understandably gutted to miss out, but rallied by the time game-night came around.
Hogg went all-out after the game and was one of four Lions players to stay up having beers and telling stories until the wee hours. While eventually else eventually slipped off for some sleep, the Scotland star attempted to keep going.
“I thought I’d be the big man on Saturday night, and go all night and see how long I could go through on the Sunday.
“I managed to keep going on the Sunday, and then the boys started to get back out of bed on the Sunday afternoon. And we were leaving to fly out, back home, and I’m flat out in the departures lounge, sleeping!
“I was devastated. The boys going on with the party and I’m flat-out, sleeping. I wish I had a pound for everyone that sent me the photo of me sleeping. It was great craic, though.”
Hogg has built up plenty of bonds with players he is normally used to going full throttle against, in club and Test rugby. He is not the only player on the 2021 tour to speak of how well he has got on with England captain Owen Farrell.
Wonders will never cease.
WATCH HOUSE OF RUGBY’S LIONS SERIES: EPISODE 11
