Former Scotland captain Stuart Hogg pleads guilty to domestic abuse

Former Scotland captain Stuart Hogg has pleaded guilty to domestic abuse charges over a five-year period towards his former partner.

The 32-year-old, who now plays his rugby for Top 14 side Montpellier following a u-turn on his previous decision to retire from rugby, admitted to sending the mother of his children 200 text messages in a few hours following the ending of his marriage.

Selkirk Sheriff Court heard Hogg’s behaviour left the mother of his children scared and wishing “for it to be morning as soon as possible”.

Hogg was also accused of using apps to track his partner’s location whilst also regularly going out drinking with colleagues and being abusively, shouting and swearing at his ex-wife and accusing her of “not being fun” for choosing to stay upstairs with their children when he returned home.

Making his debut in 2012, Hogg would go on to earn 100 caps for Scotland and two test appearances for the British and Irish Lions before shocking the rugby world by retiring just months out from the 2023 Rugby World Cup.