Stuart Hogg's departure from the Scotland squad has been attributed to his boozy lifestyle by a secret lover who claims to have been close to him for three years.
Despite the 32-year-old full-back announcing "with great sadness" his retirement from professional rugby in March 2023, citing his body's inability to perform as needed, his ex-girlfriend Jilly O'Donnell alleges it was actually his drinking and womanising that led to his removal from the team.
Jilly recounted: "Stuart called me during a riding weekend in Hawick. He had fallen off his horse and was drinking but he was in good spirits. I was in the gym and kept getting all these calls."
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She continued, revealing a particularly troubling call: "In one call he said things were bad. He told me, 'Something really bad has happened. I just need some time.' He never went back to training. He later made it out that he left because he hated it. It was not a planned leave, he didn't leave over a sudden injury."
She further claimed: "He'd been on a bender, he kept saying people were spreading rumours. It's my understanding he was thrown out of the team over his drinking and womanising. But they let him save face and say he left because his body couldn't take it."
In a twist to the tale, the former Scotland captain disclosed in April that he has undergone rehab after being "significantly affected" by online abuse and the public exposure of his personal issues. , reports the Daily Record.
In an emotional social media post, he admitted: "Personal, private issues being played out in the public eye and online abuse are things that have impacted me significantly. I've not been able to deal with it. Online abuse is not okay."
However, his ex-partner Jilly, who dated Hogg between 2020 and 2023, has come forward with a different account, describing him as someone with narcissistic tendencies who would often manipulate those around him. Despite being a victim of online trolls himself, Hogg had previously lashed out at others, and Jilly claims his public statement about rehab was self-centred and lacking in apology.
Jilly recalled: "He would spend hours scrolling through social media to read the negative comments about his appearance. Even after a great game, he would still only concentrate on the bad stuff. I'd say, why do you care what Maureen from Manchester thinks of your hair? "
A Scottish Rugby spokesperson commented on Hogg's departure from the Scotland squad, stating: "Stuart Hogg informed us he was retiring with immediate effect in 2023 citing the toll rugby had taken on his body."
