Former Scotland captain Stuart Hogg has revealed he retired from rugby to save his marriage, a decision he believes was the “biggest mistake of my life”.
Hogg ended his career in 2023 at the age of 31 – just before the World Cup that year – but after leaving the game amid turmoil, he signed with French club Montpellier and resumed playing in 2024.
The Anglo-Irish Lion was given a five-year harassment restraining order and a fine in November 2024 after he admitted abusing his estranged wife Gillian and breached his bail after repeatedly contacting his ex-partner.
Hogg acknowledges the hurt he caused to those around him, but he has now regained some stability in his life.
“I missed the noise, the changing rooms, the banter. I missed rugby more than I thought I would,” Hogg told Rugby Paper.
“I gave up my rugby career to save my marriage. I didn’t know who I was at the time.
“I was on anti-depressants to the brink. I didn’t know what was going on in my life, whether I was making people happy or sad. I used alcohol to escape. I was purely present.
“Everything changed on the Dodie Aid bike trip from Scotland to Rome. For the first time since I retired, I felt part of the team again. I came back and said to my dad, ‘I’ve made the biggest mistake of my life.’
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“I’m in a better place mentally than I’ve been in years. I thought being selfish was strength, but I took it too far. I’ve hurt people.
“Now I’m learning to be selfless for the right reasons: for my children, my partner, my team. I know I’ll never be the Stuart Hogg I once was, but that’s okay. I’ve found peace.”
Hogg, who has won 100 caps for Scotland and made two Test appearances for the Lions, has yet to play for Montpellier this season after undergoing surgery on his Achilles tendon in April.