Scotland's 6 foot 5 inch replacement for Stuart Hogg
Blair Kinghorn is too modest to admit it and too wary of being labelled presumptuous to say more than a few reverential words about it, but behind his eyes, the Scotland full-back jersey must be looming like the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.
“I’ve not thought too much about it,” he says, with a shake of the head that is anything but convincing.
“There are lots of talented back-three players here,” he adds.
“Anyone can slot into that 15 role,” he insists.
The truth is that while Gregor Townsend has a penchant for the unexpected, it would be a colossal shock if anyone but Kinghorn is the starting 15 in Cardiff in five days time.
There’s no Stuart Hogg, of course, the wonderful lynchpin of the Scottish backline recovering from ankle surgery. Ruaridh Jackson isn’t in the squad. Byron McGuigan and Sean Maitland are but as this first autumn Test falls outside the international window, their English clubs have no obligation to release them. Even were they available, Kinghorn would still be the overwhelming front-runner.
Tommy Seymour is in the hunt too, but even allowing for his fine showing in the role during Glasgow’s ruthless dismantling of Cardiff Blues, he doesn’t usurp Kinghorn. Dave Rennie, Seymour’s club coach, said as much last week. Seymour is an option for Townsend, but Kinghorn has the strongest case.
The gangling 21-year-old has a boat-load of qualities to admire. Last season, he came of age at Richard Cockerill’s Edinburgh, emerging as one of the most devastating strike-runners in the Pro14 at 6’5 and 95kg.
His ability to lope into the line from deep, gallop through holes and free a snaking arm for an off-load is precious. With that long frame and searing speed, he is an excellent finisher. He made more metres than any other player in the league last year, and was near the top of the charts for carries, defenders beaten, clean breaks and off-loads. He is up there in all those ranking tables again six rounds into the new season.
Kinghorn won his first cap off the bench in Scotland’s rousing Calcutta Cup triumph and scored a fine try against Ireland in his first start the following round, playing on the wing.
He toured the Americas in the summer, starting the perfunctory win over Canada at full-back, the bruising loss to the USA and the walloping Townsend’s troops dealt Argentina on either wing, touching down twice more. All in all, a brilliant break-out season.
“It’s definitely a pretty big jump up [from club to international rugby], although when you play the big games in the Champions Cup the physicality is right up there,” Kinghorn says.
“The difference I’ve found is the pace of international rugby being much quicker. Everyone is at the top of their game.
“It’s just about getting used to playing in front of that many people. At club level, you’re playing in front of 7-10,000, whereas at the Aviva Stadium and Murrayfield, it’s packed full.
“I was really nervous before my first cap, so it’s about getting in your own zone. One thing that sticks in my mind is sitting in the changing room beforehand and Greig Laidlaw coming over to say, ‘just do your thing’.”
Kinghorn’s game is mighty impressive, but if there is a chink in his armour, it is his one-on-one defence. The ease with which Benjamin Fall, Craig Gilroy and George North have waltzed through his arms over the past two months is enough to set alarm bells ringing.
Sure, these are world-class attackers we’re talking about, but if you want to be an international regular, you have to put world-class attackers on their backsides.
“I’m getting better; my form is getting closer to where it needs to be. In the first couple of games of the season, I was a bit off the pace, but the Edinburgh team are functioning really well at the minute and I’m just happy to be part of it,” Kinghorn says.
“Coming back in after two months away from rugby, your game sharpness does go a little bit and it takes a couple of games to get back into it.
“I feel like a big work-on at the moment is my defence and I’ve been working really hard with our defence coach, Calum MacRae.
“The main point I’ve been given is to work hard on all my little skills. At the start of last season, it was basic mistakes that were letting me down, letting the team down. Whether it was kicking, a couple of passes or my tackling. I’ve been working on my basic skills week in week out, so that under pressure I can perform.
“Mistakes are always part of the game. When you’re going with your instinct, sometimes you do make mistakes. That’s life, you’re human, everyone does that. It’s more about not making unforced errors. I’ve worked really hard at it, with all the coaches at Edinburgh, and also on my concentration throughout the whole week.”
Kinghorn didn’t play in Scotland’s Six Nations humiliation in Cardiff back in February, but he was there. As the 24th man, he took part in the warm-up, drinking in the sights and sounds of a Championship battle. He sat in the stand enveloped in his tracksuit, deafened by the joyous roars of Welsh revellers. He watched in horror as his team-mates were battered and bamboozled, the wave of hope they had ridden into the campaign utterly shredded in 80 brutal minutes.
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“I was rooming with Henry Pyrgos, who was the 25th man,” he recalls.
“It was a brilliant experience, my first taste of being 24th man in an away game. Obviously it was a really disappointing result but a good experience to be in with the team, doing the warm-up, and seeing what it’s like on match-day in an international set-up.
“It wasn’t the result we were looking for. We had a hard look at it, reviewed it and realised we just didn’t play the way we wanted to play. We’re looking to put the wrongs right when we go down there now.
“Once the roof’s shut, it’s a pretty intimidating place to go. It’s a great stadium, the noise is unbelievable and the atmosphere is brilliant. It is places like that you want to go and play rugby. When we went to Thomond Park with Edinburgh it was brilliant – it’s a cauldron, a tough place to go, but that’s where you want to go and challenge yourself as a team.
“At the Principality, you try to talk to people in the warm-up and you can’t really hear them. It’s a brilliant atmosphere, they always get a great crowd in there and the noise is always right at the top.”
Kinghorn is right, Scotland have demons to banish and a dragon to slay this weekend, but he has his own challenges to confront. The November period is his best opportunity to further outline his international credentials.
Unseating a fit Hogg will be a mountainous undertaking. A slot on the wing looks a more likely long-term option. Townsend has a bucketful of excellent back-three competitors but if Kinghorn’s rise continues at this rate, he will be extremely hard to leave
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Comments on RugbyPass
I’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
19 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
19 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
12 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
19 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to commentsI think he is right, SBW is respected in RSA. The guy who never stood up is a worm. Sseems lots of NZ SBW hate, you do the crime do the time.
12 Go to commentsAfter missing the curfew, the player was simply too “Shagged” to stand up.
12 Go to commentsVernier is probably the best 12 in the world though she has some English competition these days . I am nervous for England because it is unpredictable France and who knows which team will turn up, but they have not yet shown anything that should worry England, Saturday could be a different day. I would be more confident against the BFs.
1 Go to commentsWhat a difference Rodda and Carter made. Rodda has been out for ages but he is really the only world class lock in Australian rugby. Him, Carter and Beale made a huge difference on the weekend. If only they had a few decent props they’d be a much more dangerous team. Hamish Stewart was excellent last week as well. His carrying has improved significantly and has to be next in line after Paisami at 12 for the Wallabies. He’ll benefit hugely with Beale at fullback, there’s just no better communicator in Australian rugby than him and his experience will make a huge difference for the Force. No one sees space like Beale and he’s still sharp. I can see Force making a late charge into the top 8 if they can get some consistency.
2 Go to commentsRodda will be a walk up starter at lock. Frost if you analyse his dominance has little impact and he’s a long way from being physical enough, especially when you compare to Rodda and the work he does. He was quite poor at the World Cup in his lack of physicality. Between Rodda and Skelton we would have locks who can dominate the breakdown and in contact. Frost is maybe next but Schmidt might go for a more physical lock who does their core work better like Ryan or LSL. Swain is no chance unless there’s a load of injuries. Pollard hasn’t got the scrum ability yet to be considered. Nasser dominated him when they went toe to toe and really showed him up. Picking Skelton effects who can play 6 and 8. Ideally Valetini would play 6 as that’s his best position and Wilson at 8 but that’s not ideal for lineout success. Cale isn’t physical enough yet in contact and defence but is the best backrow lineout jumper followed by Wright, Hanigan and Swinton so unfortunately Valetini probably will start at 8 with Wright or Hanigan at 6. Wilson on the bench, he’s got too much quality not to be in the squad. Paisami is leading the way at 12 but Hamish Stewart is playing extremely well also and his ball carrying has improved significantly. Beale is also another option based on the weekend. Beale is class but he’s also the best communicator of any Australian backline player and that can’t be underestimated, he’ll be in the mix.
8 Go to commentsWhy do people keep on picking Ardie at 7 when he's a ball in hand 8? A modern 7 is the lead tackler and ruck clearer which isn't his strength.
19 Go to commentsSly dig there at Ireland’s propensity to back a non-Irish coach. Must really want it. I’m not sure I like ROG very much. Comes off as unpleasant. But he’d gain my respect if he took a number 7 ranked team and turned them into WC winners. Not even back-to-back. Argentina? Scotland? Or how about Wales? France would be too easy, no?
1 Go to commentsA bit of sensationalism, but surprised by the comments about SBW. I’ve always thought of him as a pretty authentic person. There is nothing worse than working with a colleague you’ve seen straight through.
12 Go to comments100% agree with your comment about Touch. I’ve been playing it competitively since Covid. It’s on a Wednesday night after work. It means the weekend is free for time with my family.
2 Go to commentsRodda back is massively important for the Wallabies. Kaitu at hooker important too coz he was very good a few years ago.
2 Go to comments