Scotland fullback Stuart Hogg has admitted the missed chance to finally beat the All Blacks still haunts him.
Hogg held history in his hands with Scotland trailing the All Blacks 17-22 in the dying stages of November's test at Murrayfield. The first Scottish win over the All Blacks in 112years seemed possible, probable, even. Until Beauden Barrett arrived. Barrett stopped the Hogg run and ended the match.
"On the brink of something special wasn't I," Hogg said after the test.
"I knew it was going to be tough but like always I back my ability. Credit to Beauden Barrett it was a cracking tackle. I'm pretty gutted to chuck the ball away as well but, look, on another day that comes off.
"The boys are devastated to be honest. We gave ourselves chances to score tries and probably left a couple out there."
A few months later and Hogg is still not over it, admitting to the BBC (http://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/42543248 _ that he's watched the final play over and over again while rehabbing a hip injury
"I've watched it far too many times and every single time I watch it I'll think back to what could have been ... if Beauden Barrett hadn't bumped me into touch I could have scored or whatever. It has been a bit difficult," he told former players Danny Care and Ugo Monye.
"I think the main thing from that is I'll learn from it and if I get the same situation I can have a better outcome."
"It kills me because the amount of different times I've looked at it and seen what I could do a little bit different is frustrating me big time ... especially when you have an injury and can't make up for it," said Hogg.
Hogg has been sidelines with a hip injury suffered against Australia a week after the All Blacks defeat but is expected to return for Scotland's Six Nations campaign.
The good news is Hogg won't have to wait too long to get another chance to make history with the All Blacks set to return to Murrayfield later this year.
