“If you don’t think you can be better than them, then you will never beat them.”  AH. 

Becoming one of Scotland’s best young rugby players doesn’t happen overnight.  Nor is the life of a top athlete as easy and glamorous as many people think.  In The Winning Zone spoke to Ally Hogg about the highs and lows of a career that has seen the young flanker elected as captain of his club, Edinburgh, and become one of the stars of the International Game, with a World Cup hat trick to his name…

Making the choice:

Top level rugby in Scotland is a professional business.  Being a rugby player is a full-time job, and it is also a lifestyle choice, as Ally is very aware:

“When all my mates were going out drinking I was in the gym training and playing games at the weekend, so I couldn’t go out.  You sacrifice a little bit of your social life, but if you want it to be your job then you have to treat it like that, even if you didn’t have it at the time.

“It was definitely worth it.  I wouldn’t be here doing what I’m doing now if it wasn’t for the sacrifices that I made. I could still go out and just not drink.   I could have gone out and got pissed instead of training, but you have to make those sacrifices; that’s just the way it is, like any other job.  You knew what the right decision was; you just had to make it. 

“And luckily it has paid off.  I could have done all that work and not got anywhere, but I really enjoyed it so it wasn’t difficult.  It was just one of those things you have to do to get where you are.”

Coping with Injury:

Ally made it through his first few seasons as a Scotland international unscathed, but has been unlucky to pick up two consecutive injuries this year, first to his elbow, then his knee.  Though he is now back and fighting fit, like any professional, he won’t allow a setback to get him down:

“It was a bit disappointing, as those were the first internationals I missed since I got my first cap.  Before then I had played in every game and that was something I was quite proud of.  But that’s the nature of the sport and you’ve just got to get on with it.  I’m quite an optimistic guy, so you’ve got to look at the positives.  I’ve worked hard in the gym in the last month and I’ve worked on some skills.  The best way to deal with injury is just to stay positive.  When I become injured, I can’t play rugby, but I can still go and work on my passing or do some upper body weights. 

“Sometimes it’s actually nice to get a bit of a break away from rugby.  And it is an opportunity to come back refreshed and feeling better.  And you can do things you wouldn’t normally have time to do.  For instance, some of the boys take an injury as an opportunity to do some educational stuff, like starting a course.”

Harnessing your ability:

It is one thing to be a talented player; it is another to actually make something of yourself.  Everybody knows someone who was once a good athlete but allowed the opportunity to slip through their fingers.  It takes more than potential to become the best:

“Lots of guys who I played with when I was younger were better than me, and better than most people, but they didn’t have the desire.  If you’ve got the desire and the work ethic to succeed then it’s a massive thing. You could have all the individual talents in the world, but you have to be prepared to use them. 

“Attitude is a massive thing.  And it’s a frustrating thing.  When you’re playing with players who aren’t bothered and aren’t contributing, you would prefer to be working with guys who aren’t as good but are prepared to put the effort in.  From a player’s point of view, I would rather go onto the pitch with 14 other guys who are prepared to try rather than 14 guys who are talented but aren’t bothered.”

Being part of team:

All great players are remembered for being a part of a great team.  It is no coincidence.  Jonny Wilkinson wouldn’t have kicked that World Cup winning drop goal if his forwards hadn’t created the space for him, and Scotland didn’t beat England last year at Murrayfield as a group of individuals.  Team play is fundamental:

“I think players have to get on with each other.  Winning teams that don’t get on are much rarer than teams that enjoy being together and socialise together.  At Edinburgh, we all get on very well, we hang about together, we go go-carting, and everyone goes to Christmas lunch.  We have social events that everyone backs. 

“When one of the boys was moving house about 20 of us pitched in to help.  I think little things like that make a massive difference, and it is key to a team that everyone is willing to help each other.”

Being up for it:

As a professional, Ally is expected to put in a first-class performance every week playing for Edinburgh.  Heineken Cup games are commonly known to be just as intense as internationals, so it is vital that he is motivated and mentally prepared for a battle every time he puts on his shirt:

“I don’t have any problem motivating myself for a game. Training can be tough to get up for because you are so physically tired.  If you play on a Sunday then you have to train on a Tuesday, even though you have had a day off, you are still sore from the game. Then you have to prepare for another game on Friday when you are still absolutely knackered.  You know you have to do it because it is your job, but it can be pretty hard to get up for it, especially when it is raining hard outside or freezing cold.  

“But for a game it is not a problem at all.  I don’t think you will find any player who struggles to get motivated for a game.  There are different emotions depending on whether you are playing for club or country, but you still want to go out there and perform.  If you don’t get excited playing for Edinburgh then you’re never going to play for Scotland.  You’ve got to do one before you can do the other.

Performance and Winning:

One of the oldest questions in any sport:  Is it more important to perform to your best, or is it more important to win?

“If you’ve come off from a game that you’ve lost, but you have played well in, you may be pleased with your own performance but you are still disappointed that you have lost.  That may not make you a loser, but I’d sometimes rather come off knowing I’ve not played my best having won, than playing well and losing.

“You always want to play well, everyone does.  I’d quite happily go out and play below par if we beat New Zealand, but that doesn’t happen.  At the end of the day, New Zealand may be a much better team, but you still lost, so you’ll be disappointed.  And if you play well you’ll be disappointed that you missed an opportunity to beat them.”

RO

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