Stuart Hogg regrets 2023 retirement, returns to Montpellier

Stuart Hogg, the former Scotland captain and British and Irish Lions centre, said he regrets retiring from rugby in 2023 in an effort to salvage his marriage and has returned to the game with French club Montpellier after a year away. In a recent interview he described the decision to step away as the "biggest mistake of my life" and said the move back to playing has helped him rebuild his mental health and daily routine.

Hogg, 33, announced his shock retirement ahead of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, citing that his body was no longer up to the demands of the game. He later reversed that decision and signed for Montpellier in 2024 on a contract reported to run to 2027. He said he withdrew from the sport to try to save his marriage, but found life off the field difficult, struggling with alcohol and prescribed antidepressants and feeling disconnected from his identity.

The former international, who won 100 caps for Scotland and made two Lions Test appearances, said a charity cycle ride from Scotland to Rome gave him a sense of belonging and prompted his return. "I missed the buzz, the changing room, the banter," he said. "I gave up on my rugby career to try and save my marriage. At...