Rugby News: Falcons Dismiss Hogg Comeback Rumors
Falcons Consultant Director of Rugby Denies Stuart Hogg Comeback Rumors
According to Falcons consultant director of rugby Steve Diamond, there is “no truth whatsoever” to the rumors of former Scotland great Stuart Hogg coming out of retirement to join the struggling Newcastle Falcons.
“The recruitment here has not been good for various reasons,” Diamond conceded. “You can bring one or two from the Championship to the Premiership and survive with them. But if you bring them en masse you can’t. You become a Championship team. And the results we have had we’ve become exactly that.”
Hogg, who had announced his retirement from rugby ahead of the 2023 World Cup, was reportedly in talks with the Falcons, who finished bottom of the league after a winless season. However, Diamond’s firm denial seems to have put the speculation to rest.
Falcons’ Dismal Premiership Campaign
The Newcastle Falcons faced a dismal Premiership campaign, losing all 18 of their matches. The gulf in class between Newcastle and ninth-placed Gloucester was evident in the final-round encounter, with the Cherry and Whites thrashing the Falcons 54-14.
Gloucester’s Upcoming Challenge Cup Final
As the Falcons look to regroup and plot their path back to the top, the focus now shifts to Gloucester’s upcoming Challenge Cup final against the Sharks, a “proper team” that Gloucester director of rugby George Skivington acknowledges will be “hard to beat.”
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