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Blair Kinghorn adds to Andy Farrell's Lions injury nightmare
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One week after Elliot Daly suffered a tour-ending broken arm for the British & Irish Lions against the Reds, fellow full-back Blair Kinghorn has emerged as another injury concern.
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The Scotland full-back, who made his debut against the New South Wales Waratahs on Saturday after teaming up with the squad late following Toulouse’s Top 14 triumph, received treatment to his left knee early on in Wednesday’s contest against the Brumbies.
The 28-year-old continued to play, but was seen struggling to sprint one occasion, before being forced from the field after 25 minutes and receiving ice to his knee on the sideline.
Kinghorn already entered the game with strapping to his right thigh, but this new issue looked far more serious.
Following Farrell’s decision to replace Daly with his son, Owen, the Lions will be left with only one recognised full-back, Hugo Keenan, now. Even then, Keenan missed the start of the tour due to a calf injury which cut short his season with Leinster, before having to pull out of the match against the Reds with an illness – a match Daly was a last-minute replacement for.
Kinghorn’s replacement in the match against the Brumbies, Marcus Smith, may be required to occupy the No.15 jersey more frequently this tour as a consequence of this injury. Given his ability to cover both fly-half and full-back, his chances of making the bench in the Test series will rise significantly should the Scot be ruled out.
Tommy Freeman is also capable of playing at full-back, as is Mack Hansen but they would once again be players that would be forced into playing a role they are not entirely comfortable in.
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With five matches remaining this tour, a replacement will need to be call up if Kinghorn has unfortunately sustained a tour-ending injury. If a replacement is needed, there is no doubt that Farrell will select a recognised full-back.
Speaking at half-time, Lions assistant coach John Dalziel described the injury as a “knock”, saying the decision to take him off was “precautionary”.
