Stuart Hogg praised as former Scotland captain scores for Montpellier on return to rugby

Stuart Hogg was highly praised by his Montpellier coach and team-mates after making an impressive try-scoring return to professional rugby in the French Top 14 on Saturday.

The former Scotland captain played his first match in 17 months, making his debut from the start after being handed the number 15 jersey for his new club's season opener at home to Lyon.

The match ended in disappointment for Montpellier as they went down to a 26-22 defeat at the GGL Stadium following two yellow cards for Baptiste Erdocio and Gabriel Ngandebe.

However, the result did not overshadow the performance of Hogg who turned back the clock with an eye-catching try as he embarked on a perfectly-timed sprint from his own half before collecting a pass infield and touching down under the posts.

Stuart Hogg celebrates after scoring a try on his Montpellier debut in the French Top 14 defeat to Lyon. (Photo by PASCAL GUYOT/AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images

It was the experienced full-back’s first outing since coming on as a substitute for previous club Exeter Chiefs in their Champions Cup semi-final against La Rochelle on April 30, 2023. The 32-year-old retired from professional rugby in the lead-up to last year’s World Cup in France, reasoning that “my body has not been able to do the things I wanted and needed it to do”.

He reversed that decision to sign for Montpellier this summer and head coach Joan Caudullo was impressed by what the 100-times capped Hawick man offered.

“He’s an international-level player," said Caudullo after watching Hogg carry the ball in hand for a total of 72 metres. "Even though he hasn’t played for Scotland for a long time, he’s got something extra. Today, we see a kid who puts a lot of energy into the group. He leads the line well, he communicates a lot, he’s listened to. We’re going to rely on him to move forward.”

His team-mate in the centre, Thomas Darmon, was also asked for his take on Hogg's debut. “I found him pretty good (laughs)," the Frenchman replied. "He has a big kick, he does everything 200 per cent, he has a lot of experience. He is an example for us, he speaks, he is listened to. He will bring us a lot."

Hogg will now miss the start of this week's training as he is due back in Scotland on Tuesday morning to stand trial in the domestic violence case against his estranged wife Gillian.