Stuart Hogg: Exeter Chiefs' Scotland full-back relishing Premiership chance

Stuart Hogg believes Gregor Townsend should continue as Scotland boss despite failing to lead the side out of the World Cup group phase.

Scotland were beaten by Japan and Ireland as they finished third in their pool - missing out the knockout stages for just the second time.

Hogg has just moved to English Premiership side Exeter, having left Glasgow at the end of last season.

"I think Gregor's the right man," Hogg, 27, told BBC Sport.

"Gregor and the rest of the coaching staff will look at themselves first and foremost and then come back to the players, because it'll hurt them just as much as us because they'll think to themselves did they get everything right before even looking at the players."

'Hard truths'

Gregor Townsend's record against Tier One opposition, including Sunday's Japan defeat

Hogg and his Scotland teammates were convincingly beaten 27-3 by Ireland in their opening World Cup pool game.

After bonus-point wins over Russia and Samoa they lost a tense final group game 28-21 to the hosts - the first time the Scots had ever been beaten by Japan.

Hogg says the earlier-than-expected journey home led to frank discussions among the squad about what went wrong.

He said: "We come back and we learn and we'll say we'll be better for this experience, yes we will be in some parts, but how long can we keep saying that?

"That's something we've had the hard truth and the hard facts, we said it openly to each other, by the look of it we'll get back on the horse come Six Nations time and make the most of it then."

He added: "We pride ourselves on our defence and our defence wasn't anywhere where it needs to be.

"We coughed up a lot of ball at vital times and didn't make the most of our opportunities and we didn't apply as much pressure to the opposition as we're used to.

"It wasn't to be for us and the most frustrating thing for us is we didn't reach our potential, but you've got to do that in every single game, you can't wait for another challenge a week or two after, you've got to take it there and then, and unfortunately we didn't do that."

Exeter ambitions

Hogg has been selected for the past two British and Irish Lions tours

Having made the move south, Hogg became one of the biggest summer signings in the Premiership.

Exeter have topped the Premiership table for the past two years and reached three of the last four Premiership finals but have won just one title, while in Europe they have made the knockout stages of the Champions Cup just once.

Hogg's arrival is seen by many as one of the final pieces of a jigsaw being put in place to build a side capable of succeeding on both fronts.

"For me to excel as a rugby player I believe I've picked for the correct place," he said after a training session at Sandy Park which saw him score a blistering try from distance.

"I truly believe we've got the coaching side and the players here who are going to help me along the way.

"Ultimately the club is looking to win trophies and we're excited at the challenges that are in front of us."

And Hogg has already hit the ground running, studying Exeter's set-plays while at the World Cup and moving his family down to the club soon after returning from Japan.

"He's come in with an absolutely fantastic attitude," director of rugby Rob Baxter told BBC Sport.

"He's done everything he can professionally to prepare himself and I thought today in particular he looked very sharp, talked very well, introduced himself onto the field very well, had some really good touches and showed some really good pace."