Stuart Hogg says missing the play-offs “killed him” last year but this Saturday he wants to fulfil his renewed love for rugby with the Guinness PRO12 trophy.
Hogg was omitted by the Glasgow Warriors for last year’s semi-final and final as he went close to going off the rails completely in a fraught final few months of the season.
The frustrations of the season led to his infamous sending-off for Scotland in Cardiff and he was left out for the two biggest games of the club season as he clashed with management and team-mates when he returned to Glasgow.
However Hogg is a completely different player and person this year, and he candidly admits missing the PRO12 finale last year was a key element.
“It killed me, missing last year,” he said. “We got ourselves into such a great position last year, and not being involved in the two biggest games, I was hugely disappointed.
“But there were reasons for that, I’ve learned and I’ve moved on from that. Now it’s great to be part of the semi at the weekend and hopefully get selected for this weekend as well.”
Hogg had been reportedly courting a move to Ulster and some of his actions in the dressing room didn’t sit well with the overriding team ethos at the Warriors, but although he declines to go into detail, it’s clear he’s learned a valuable lesson.
“As a team we’re playing really well and I’m happy I can play a small part in that,” he said. “I’ve changed since last year, I’m a lot calmer than I used to be.
“At times I just fell out of love with the game last year but I enjoy it a lot better right now. Glasgow’s a great place to be and I get on with everyone so it’s great. It’s so much easier when you’re in love with the game and getting enjoyment out of it.
“A few things happened that I learned from and am hoping to move on from. Frustrations on and off the pitch did contribute, being young and inexperienced, at times emotions play a massive part but it’s how you channel those emotions and use them in a positive manner.
“I’ve learned a lot from last year. I just focused very much on becoming a better person and a better rugby player. I think this season I’ve done that.”
All is aimed at the collective rather than the individual, although Hogg still is his team’s main strike weapon in more ways than one, the long penalty in the semi-final against Ulster being a case in point.
“It’s something I always work on and fortunately there was a fair amount of wind behind me,” he said. “It got us a wee lead at the time, but it’s something I’ll continue to work on and if called upon, hopefully deliver.
“We talk a lot as a backline about being connected and carving up teams there, but a few times in the last two games we’ve found ourselves very much as individuals and maybe that’s something that doesn’t work as well for us.
“We didn’t have a lot of ball last week in an area we could really play in. But we’ve worked incredibly hard all season to get where we are, so it’s just going to take one more game and a big effort to get the trophy.”
Glasgow yesterday confirmed that long-serving back row forward James Eddie has signed another year-long extension to his contract with popular Fijian prop Jerry Yanuyanutawa has also signed for a futher a further year.