Scotland full-back Stuart Hogg has announced that he will be retiring from playing rugby after the World Cup later this year to pursue a new career as he declared that he “always wanted to finish at the top end of the game”.
The 30-year-old made the surprise announcement through his social media channels on Monday, just over a fortnight after winning his 100th cap against Ireland.
Hogg, who turns 31 in June, will play out the rest of the season with Exeter before hanging up his boots after the international showpiece in France in the autumn as he does not believe his body will allow him to maintain the standards he sets for himself “for much longer”.
The Hawick-born player said in a statement: “After RWC 2023, my professional rugby journey will end and I will be retiring from the game.