Scotland v Ireland: We need to get on Romain Poite’s good side, says Stuart Hogg

Stuart Hogg has stressed the importance of staying on the right side of the referee when Scotland resume their Guinness Six Nations campaign against Ireland.

Discipline will be key at BT Murrayfield on Sunday with match officials instructed to clamp down on dangerous play. Scotland have already picked up a yellow and red card in their opening two matches and have some history with Romain Poite, the match referee.

The Frenchman took charge of the same fixture two years ago and incurred the wrath of Greig Laidlaw, Hogg’s predecessor as Scotland captain.

Laidlaw called out Poite in his immediate post-match interview on the Murrayfield pitch, saying, “He doesn’t seem to like us, Romain”.

Stuart Hogg, right, alongside referee Romain Poite during the Scotland v Ireland match in 2019.

Hogg will look to take a more tactful approach.

“As with all referees, you have to try and get on their good side,” said the full-back. “It all depends on the manner in which you come across.

“Just as in life, if you’re argumentative or confront them in the wrong way, they’re not going to listen to you.

“That’s something I’ve learned massively over the last year. I’ve watched a huge amount of different sports as well.

“You speak to umpires or referees – it’s all about building relationships. I’ve got a lot of respect for referees because they’ve not got an easy job.

“We need to make his job easier by just making sure we do all the basics really well, not giving him opportunities to penalise us, and making sure we don’t get on the wrong side of him.”

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