Hogg won his first cap against Wales in the 2004 RBS 6 Nations and has become one of Scotland's most consistent performers. All Black captain Richie McCaw has spoken of his admiration for the Edinburgh back-rower who has the ability to do the nitty gritty but also feature prominently around the park. His hat-trick against Romania at the 2007 World Cup was the first time a Scottish forward had achieved the feat in over 20 years.