Scotland v Japan: It’s not about revenge insists Stuart Hogg

Stuart Hogg has dismissed the suggestion that Scotland will go into today’s match against Japan looking for revenge for the defeat that saw them eliminated from the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

Scotland captain Stuart Hogg, left, with stand-off Finn Russell during a training session at Oriam ahead of the Japan match. (Photo by Paul Devlin / SNS Group)

The Scots lost 28-21 to the hosts two years ago and 12 of Gregor Townsend’s squad who played in Yokohama will be involved this afternoon.

It was only the second time Scotland had been eliminated from the Rugby World Cup at the group stage but Hogg says they have moved on.

“It’s gone, it’s all in the past,” said the Scotland captain. “We can’t change that result or do anything about it. It’s all about this game at 1pm and us doing absolutely everything to finish off our campaign in the best possible way.”

Scotland have achieved some notable results since the last World Cup, recording away wins over Wales, England and France last season and then defeating Australia earlier this month in the Autumn Nations Series.

Japan have struggled to build on their success in reaching the quarter-finals at the World Cup because of a lack of matches due to travel restrictions but Hogg holds them in high esteem.

“We know that Japan are a quality side - they’ve been building for a number of years,” he said. “We know exactly what they’re about.

“In terms of us, I think we’ve gained some valuable experience individually and collectively. Every time we play we learn new things and we’re in a position to kick on for the next Test match.”

Get a year of unlimited access to all The Scotsman's sport coverage without the need for a full subscription. Expert analysis of the biggest games, exclusive interviews, live blogs, transfer news and 70 per cent fewer ads on Scotsman.com - all for less than £1 a week. Subscribe to us today.