Retirement Is Often All About Timing

MAYBE, because the writer wasn't a sports journalist, the line had extra significance, but, Jilly Cooper perhaps said it best of all, when she had her wonderful character Rupert Campbell-Black admit: the hardest part of being a top sportsman was deciding when to stop. Few ever get it right. Sir Andy Murray, for instance, is no longer British Number One, he didn't get past round two of Wimbledon 2023, however, the competitive flame still burns. While it is sad to see him losing to players who couldn't have lived with him at peak Murray, there is something special about watching a stellar talent raging against the dying of the light.

Denis Law perhaps went two or three games too long. OK, the first Scottish appearance in the World Cup Finals, plus the chance to beat George Young's even longer-standing caps record gave him the motivation to go to Germany in 1974. However, the Law of that 55^th and final cap against Zaire was a pale shadow of the Law of The Holy Trinity days.

 

The dream for Stuart Hogg might have been to bow out clutching “Bill” - as the William Webb Ellis Trophy is known, following a triumphant Scotland World Cup 2023 campaign in France. But, following the shock announcement of his immediate retirement, that isn't going to now happen. Hoggy has listened to his body, and it is telling him: “enough, I can no longer do it.”

Like most Scots, I am sorry to see him depart the stage, but, I admire his courage in making what must have been a horribly-difficult decision. At least, he has quit on his terms and I wish him all the best for the rest of his life.

At least, we have some sort of inheritance in place. Gregor Townsend now had four warm-up games in which to decide whether Blair Kinghorn, Ollie Smith or maybe Huw Jones will take over the number 15 jersey, we have choices and, with the way the squad has been coming together over the past couple of seasons, not having Hoggy, while still a loss, isn't as bad as it might have been.

Hoggy retires with 100 caps and holding the Scottish international try-scoring record, with 27 touchdowns. I have never deviated from my belief that Ken Scotland is the full-back against whom everyone else should be judged. Since the great Herioter, we have had some stellar players in that 15 jersey: Andy Irvine, Peter Dods, Gavin Hastings, Glen Metcalfe and Chris Paterson, to name but five. However, for the sheer excitement he brought to the role, I reckon Hoggy is the closest to KJF Scotland – he was that good.

This World Cup is turning into one of those changing of the guard tournaments. Several long-serving Welshmen will not be there, now Hoggy has joined them. I fear, given the ultra-attritional nature of the elite game today, we will see a number of other players follow him into retirement once each country goes out in France.

Hoggy is the first to go, but, I suspect several other members of Toony's squad in France will decide, or, as in Hogg's case, their bodies will tell them, enough is enough, at the conclusion of the tournament. Also, Bath, for instance will surely be seeking to get value for money from their £1,000,000 per season investment in the unique talents of Finn Russell by persuading him NOT to disappear for a large part of the season on Scotland duty. I would not be surprised to see The Gallus One call it quits at the end of our campaign in France.

AT 10am on Monday morning, there were 55 BTL comments on The Offside Line's story about Ruth Davidson's appointment to the Board. The majority, by a long way, were against her appointment. There are even, I understand, a couple of petitions going round, calling for her removal.

I fear that sort of opposition will merely harden TCD's determination to keep 'The Mooth' seated at the big table. Our Glorious Leader does enjoy seeing us mere Jocks wound-up at his decisions, so I suspect we are stuck with her – unless, of course, the appointment causes such a stooshie at the AGM that The Fat Manc back-tracks. Mind you, I am not holding my breath on that one.