Former Scotland Rugby Captain Stuart Hogg Stripped of MBE After Domestic Abuse Guilty Plea

• Former Scotland rugby captain loses prestigious MBE following domestic abuse case
• Stuart Hogg pleaded guilty to abuse and received a one-year community payback order
• Hogg’s international rugby legacy includes 100+ caps, record try-scorer status, and British & Irish Lions appearances

A former rugby captain has lost his MBE after admitting to being abusive towards his then estranged wife.

Reports from BBC Sport on Thursday, 5 March 2026, confirmed that former Scotland rugby union captain Stuart Hogg has been stripped of his MBE following his guilty plea in 2024, which resulted in a one-year community payback order.

Hogg had been awarded an MBE in the New Year's Honours of 2024 for his contributions to rugby. According to the official Gazette, the honour has now been cancelled and annulled. After he admitted to shouting, swearing, and acting abusively towards his estranged wife, there were growing calls for the MBE to be revoked.

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Stuart Hogg's rugby career highlights

Hogg made his international debut for Scotland in the 2012 Six Nations and earned over 100 caps, making him one of Scotland’s most-capped players. He is also Scotland’s record try-scorer, having scored more tries than any other player in the country’s history.

At club level, Hogg played for Glasgow Warriors from 2010 to 2019 before moving to Exeter Chiefs, where he won both the English Premiership and the European Champions Cup between 2019 and 2023. After briefly retiring in 2024, he joined Montpellier in France.

Hogg was also selected for the British and Irish Lions on their 2021 tour to South Africa. He started at fullback in the Test matches against the Springboks. The Lions won the first Test 22–17 with Hogg playing the full match and featured again in the second Test, which South Africa won 27–9.

Rugby captains making headlines

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Rugby captains around the world have recently found themselves in the spotlight. Former Australian captain Rocky Elsom, a star flanker capped 75 times for the Wallabies, was reported living quietly in Cooroy, Queensland, in February 2026 while seeking to overturn a French jail sentence and international arrest warrant linked to his leadership of the now-defunct French club Narbonne.

Meanwhile, France captain Antoine Dupont has been linked to a salary cap controversy as the Six Nations champions prepare to face Italy. French sports daily L’Equipe reported questionable payments made to Dupont and Toulouse teammate Anthony Jelonch, suggesting the club may have used these arrangements to bypass salary cap regulations.

England captain Jamie George, who led the team during the 2024 season before deputising for Maro Itoje, recently signed a one-year contract extension with Saracens. He is expected to conclude his playing career with the Premiership club during the 2026–27 season as he transitions into business.

Rugby legend's death linked to heart condition

Briefly News previously reported that a coroner disclosed the cause of death of New Zealand rugby legend Connor Garden-Bachop, who passed away in June 2024.

The 25-year-old, who played for the Highlanders and New Zealand Maori, died suddenly while staying with family in Christchurch, leaving rugby fans in New Zealand and around the world shocked.

Source: Briefly News